


Pride Before A Fall

by SouthForWinter



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: Dimples Queen, F/M, Goes back and forth between Storybrooke and covering that pesky missing year in the EF, Outlaw Queen - Freeform, Regal Believer
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-04-22
Updated: 2018-01-21
Packaged: 2018-06-03 17:54:14
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 15
Words: 32,864
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6620524
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SouthForWinter/pseuds/SouthForWinter
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Regina's taken by the flying monkey during that first run-in after their arrival in the Enchanted Forest. Locked in the dungeons of the castle, she's close to giving up hope before she meets someone who needs her help, and it sets her on a new path. Or maybe, an old one. Post 3x12 AU with both Storybrooke and Enchanted Forest. Eventual Outlaw Queen and lots of little Roland.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I love this one, but I only have the first twelve chapters done. A rare OQ multi-chapter for me.

Regina pulled the coat tighter around herself as a reaction to both the cold and the vulnerable feeling of walking alone in public. News of her shaky alliance with the Charming family had spread through the town just as they'd planned it, and though it had not gone far in trapping their impossible enemy, it had done something for her reputation. She was still viewed as the Evil Queen by the townsfolk, however, and with everyone's memories of the last year gone, tempers were running high. Old habits die hard, and she avoided the public eye as much as possible.

Today she was feeling particularly exposed without her car, but she couldn't have it where she was going. It was about a twenty minute walk and though she was eager to have the whole ordeal over with, she found that the time had passed too quickly. She hesitated outside the entrance, wondering if she really wanted to go through with it, but she quickly realized it was no longer a choice. She'd avoided it long enough already and this was something she needed to do. Glancing around self-consciously, she took a breath and stepped through the doors. There was a flurry of activity inside of which she was extremely grateful; it meant no one spared her more than a passing glance. She imagined the raucous commotion had something to do with the flying monkey situation, but at that moment, the ugly beasts were the least of her worries.

Making her way through the halls, she sought only one person - not a person she was particularly anxious to talk to, but the only person who'd be able to answer her question.

It wasn't difficult to locate him. It seemed not everyone felt flying monkeys superseded the odd presence of the Queen, and of course, _he_ would be the one not to overlook it.

"Regina!" He spotted her before she'd found him, and she spun on her heel at the angry shout to see Dr. Whale storming toward her, his face already purpling with rage. "What are you doing here?" he snarled when he'd drawn closer. "I don't have time for this today. As I've already told the Charmings about twenty times in the last forty-eight hours, we don't know anything yet. We're running every possible test, but we don't know enough. I told them I'd let them know as soon as we'd found something. Did they think sending you would spur me into moving faster? Because I guarantee that it will only serve to upset me and cause further delay-"

"Relax!" Regina said, cutting off his rant. She was quickly growing irritated by the sound of his voice, and she already had very little patience for people that jumped to conclusions in regards to her and what she was doing. "I'm not here about that." She started to second-guess her choice once again.

He saw the flash of indecision in her eyes and it piqued his interest. Narrowing his eyes, he asked, "Well, if you're not here about that, why are you here?" It was a well-known fact that Regina and Whale hated one another. It was what made her coming to him all the more suspicious.

"I need your...help...with something," she started, swallowing hard.

"And why come to me?" he asked with an irritated interest.

"Because," she hesitated, having a hard time getting the words out. "Despite our history, you're the only one I can trust."

His eyes narrowed further. "Regina – whatever project you're working on, I won't have any part of it. You can find someone else who's interested and who has time. And if you're so worried about people finding out, maybe you should think twice about doing it. You're already on thin ice with everyone. Secret side jobs are sure to draw attention and make you look even guiltier. Though, those of us who know you know that you're never to be trusted anyway."

Regina growled at his stubborn hatred and snatched his arm, pulling him roughly toward the wall and out of earshot from anyone passing by in the crowded hallway. "I'm the one who doesn't have time for this!" she hissed, ignoring his yells of protest. "Would you just shut up for a minute?" she asked, nearing desperation. He was drawing unwanted attention, and that was the very last thing she needed. "I don't have any side projects. Oh for god's sake!" she waved her hand, magically silencing the man and pinning his arms to his sides so that he couldn't continue to cause a scene. "What I need from you has nothing to do with the curse, or magic, or the Charmings," she told him, and she saw him stop trying to struggle. "Please?" she asked, sounding uncharacteristically sincere. "Just listen?"

Whale nodded and she hesitantly waved her hand once more, releasing him from her magic. She waited to be sure he really was prepared to listen before continuing.

"I need you to run some tests," she told him, throwing her hand up to stop his protests. "Because I think I may be pregnant."

-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-

"Damn it!" Regina cursed, pacing her cell. She'd been stupid enough to allow herself to be captured, and now she was locked in her own dungeon. "Stupid, stupid, stupid," she chanted.

"Hello?"

She halted at the voice, turning to face the direction from which it had come. It had been the voice of a child; a very frightened child. Perhaps imprisonment was affecting her more than she'd realized. Or maybe the witch was playing mind games with her...

"Hello?" she echoed back quietly.

When she was met only with silence, she sighed, crossing her arms. Of course of all the voices to be hearing, she was hearing that of a child. Maybe it was just a manifestation of missing Henry so horribly.

"Did the witch take you, too?"

She jumped slightly, not expecting to hear it again.

"Who are you?" Regina asked, still convinced that this was some sort of trick. For all the threats her wicked newfound half-sister had made, perhaps there had been a grain of truth. Was it possible that she had somehow learned of Regina's lost son? She didn't know how she would have any knowledge of the other world, but more unlikely things had happened, and Regina had to admit, using Henry against her would be an effective way to break her. What else was there to take from a person who'd already lost everything but their sanity? The horrible green woman would probably draw satisfaction from watching Regina slowly lose her mind.

"I'm Woland," the little voice said. "Who awe you?"

"Roland?" she questioned at the slight lisp of the young voice. She heard a giggle in response.

"No, silly. That's my name."

Regina couldn't help but smile. "I'm Regina."

"Did a monkey take you away? One flied in the aiw and taked me, and it was too high fo Papa to help. Then the gween lady says I has to stay hew so Daddy will come and get me because he's twouble. She says I'm the...the..." he struggled, trying to remember the word.

"The bait?" Regina asked, starting to believe that perhaps this was a real child after all.

"Yeah! The bait!" he replied, sounding proud that he could repeat her words. "What does it mean?"

Regina sighed, putting a hand to her temple. "It means we need to figure out a way out of here."


	2. Chapter 2

Whale stood blinking at Regina. "What?!"

Regina glanced around to ensure that no one was eavesdropping. "You heard me," she said irritably. "I think I'm pregnant."

Whale shook his head at her as if it would allow her words to make sense to him. "Wha…how…" he started, but words were failing him. "I don't understand."

"I'm not repeating it again," she told him sharply. "It's not like I'm speaking another language."

"No, but it's you."

"And?" She gave him her best patronizing glare. "Last I checked, I'm human."

Whale tilted his head. "Well—" he started, but stopped when he saw the murderous expression on her face. "We've only been here for the past few days," he said instead, deciding a more serious direction was probably warranted. "Aside from that, no one remembers anything for the last year, so what makes you suspect?"

She lifted a hand to her head to rub at her temple, and he took the opportunity to study her. She looked exhausted and, startling him a bit…frightened. On the surface, she appeared her stone-faced, in control self, but he'd known her for much longer than most. He could see through the cracks in her armor, and he could see what was just underneath the surface; terror.

"I don't know," she told him. "It's just…this feeling I've had for the last week or so. My magic feels different, and I just…I feel like that's what it is."

He narrowed his eyes suddenly. "You don't remember anything, do you?" he asked suspiciously. "Because if you do and you're not telling anyone—"

"I don't," she snapped. "I don't remember anything more than the rest of you." When he continued to look suspicious, she sighed. "Do you really think I'd come to you for help if I remembered?" she asked him.

That made him pause. "No, I suppose not. But why come to me at all? This is something you could do at home."

"Not without word getting all over town. I don't need anyone gossiping when I don't even know the truth. I'd prefer to keep it to myself. I came to you because I'm counting on your discretion."

When he continued staring at her silently, her mask slipped slightly, showing some of the fear underneath, and he buckled.

"Fine," he relented. "This way," he told her, pointing toward one of the rooms down the hallway.

"How long will it take?" she asked, following behind him. "Before you know, I mean."

"I don't know. Normally I could tell you pretty quickly, but with everything going on…" he pushed the door open, stepping inside and holding it open for her. When he caught sight of her expression, he once again caved, taking pity on her. Cursing himself for caring at all, he sighed. "I'll have the results for you by the end of the day."

-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-

Three days. Three days of hunger, of being locked up, and of having absolutely nothing to do. The witch had made no appearances, sent no word or demands. Regina was starting to wonder if her only plan for torturing her was to keep her locked up. If it were, she'd be even more pathetic than Regina had originally imagined. What a disappointment. Regina had always wished for siblings as a child, a wish she now regretted. She hoped that it was somehow all a big lie. Some kind of twisted tale spun up by the horrible green woman to create some sort of connection between Regina and herself. The woman was obviously obsessed; going through her things, wearing her clothes, living in her castle – she was some sort of crazed stalker.

But then there was Roland, the sweet little boy whose face she'd never seen. The walls between their cells prevented any form of contact other than talking, so she'd come to live for their conversations. In the back of her mind, she still wondered if he was a trick, dreamed up to torture her, but at this point, she didn't really care. The little boy was obviously terrified, and she couldn't bear the thought that he might be real and she'd ignored him. So they talked. He told her about living in the Enchanted Forest, his toys, and his father. He talked of his father's friends and what they'd done since the curse.

At night when he grew more frightened, she'd tell him stories until he fell asleep. Sometimes in the night, he'd wake up crying, and she'd hum softly, calming him down. During the day, however, Regina mostly listened. She loved hearing the sound of a child's voice once again, and she never grew tired of his excited rambling. It was on the third day that he mentioned her.

"And Papa said that the scawy clouds were magic. He thinks the Evil Queen is back. He wantsted to stop her, but I wasn't allowed to come. And then monkeys taked me," he said sadly. "Do you think she's back Gina?" he asked. It was the nickname he'd given her when he'd had too much trouble pronouncing her full name.

Her heart clenched. She didn't want to scare him anymore than he already was. And more, she didn't want him to be scared of _her_. Her voice was almost too quiet to be heard when she said, "I don't know."

Roland didn't seem to notice her hesitation or the change in her voice, because he continued on unperturbed. "I sawed her once when I was with Papa. I wan in front and gotst in twuble again, but I sawed the queen. She was pwetty, but she looked mad. Daddy was mad, too. He said I was lucky she didn't saw me back."

Regina slumped against the wall sadly.

"Gina?"

She cleared her throat to rid it of the lump that had formed and wiped the tear from her face before answering, even though she knew he couldn't see her. "Yes, Roland?"

"Tell me a story?" he asked.

"Alright." She sunk the rest of the way to the floor, drawing her knees up in an attempt to get comfortable. "Once upon a time…"

* * *

Regina blinked her eyes open slowly, feeling like something had woken her. She had no idea what time of day it was; with no windows, she'd lost track early on. Judging by how tired she still felt, she hadn't been sleeping long. She sat up carefully and caught sight of the small boy standing in the doorway of her cell; the very _open_ doorway.

"Gina?" he asked.

She saw the fear in his expression and could hear the waver in his voice.

"Roland?"

He nodded his little head at the sound of her voice and took a timid step toward her. "They opened the dohs," he whispered.

Regina pushed herself to her feet quickly, and Roland jumped back. She cringed; she hadn't meant to frighten him. "How long ago?" she asked softly, trying not to scare him further.

"I don't know. But thehs nobody but us."

Moving more slowly this time, she approached the opening, Roland stepping back as she passed him. She poked her head out into the main caves of the dungeon to see that Roland had been right; there was no one else in sight. It made no sense for the witch to have kept her locked up for days only to open the doors to the cell and let her walk free. It couldn't be a mistake, so it had to be a trap. Still, she wasn't going to waste this opportunity. She stepped the rest of the way into the open cavern, waiting to see if anyone appeared and stopped her.

No one did.

Curious to see if her magic would work now that she was free of the cell, she flexed her hand. A small white orb sparked over her palm and she heard Roland gasp at the sight. She pushed the light up into the air above them, illuminating the walls around them and turned to look at the boy behind her. The light from the orb reflected in his big eyes as he stared at it in wonder.

"Would you like to get out of here?" she wondered, bending down slowly to meet him at his level.

He blinked, looking away from the magical light to meet her eyes, and nodded. "How come you lied?" he asked.

"When did I lie?"

"Yo the Evil Queen," he told her, sounding hurt.

"I didn't want you to be afraid."

"Aw you going to huwt me?" He leaned back a little to look at her face.

Her brow creased at the troubled feeling the question gave her. "No," she told him sincerely, shaking her head. Her expression softened. "I promise I won't hurt you."

"Okay," he said simply.

She stood up once more and was surprised when Roland slipped his hand into hers.

They started walking in silence, the orb lighting their path as they made their way out of the dungeons.


	3. Chapter 3

She'd only been home for an hour, but it felt like five. She'd been pacing around the main floor, wearing down the soles of her shoes and trying to distract herself from the onslaught of thoughts that were scrambling through her brain. Her nerves were keeping her from any productive lines of thought, because really, there were a million things she could be doing; trying to figure out which of the citizens was the infamous wicked witch, finding a way to break the curse, trying to bring back Henry's memories...but she knew she had no hope of concentrating enough to even begin working through any of them.

She refused to believe one hundred percent until Whale called to confirm it, but deep down, she knew the truth. Magic felt strange; unstable. Unlike before – back when the first curse had broken – it wasn't the magic that felt unstable, it was her. Controlling it took more energy and the path it took as it channeled through her body felt different.

Her pacing stopped abruptly. It only allowed her more time to worry, and she couldn't stand the thought of not getting anything done. Looking around the large empty house, she gave a sharp nod to herself, deciding what to do. She'd had no chance to clean in the last week, and while nothing was really out of place, surfaces were beginning to gather a layer of dust, and she hadn't cleaned out the fridge. Now that she had no Henry to occupy her off-hours, the time seemed to stretch on, making her feel even lonelier. The current circumstances weren't helping any.

Grabbing her cleaning supplies, she set to work. As she dusted, she wondered what it would be like to have another child. And what would Henry think once he'd regained his memories – _i_ _f_ he regained his memories? She pushed down harder on the cloth she was using to wipe the mirrors. Thoughts like that were dangerous, and she couldn't dwell on them if she had any hope of continuing on; they were too painful.

Once she'd finished with all of the tables, mirrors, and the bathrooms, she moved into the kitchen, piling all of the food from her fridge onto the counters. It was as she'd set to work scrubbing the shelves and the insides of the drawers that the biggest questions started running through her mind.

 _If_ she was pregnant (and she was so sure that she was, though her terror begged for it not to be true) but _if_ , then who was the father? There were so many questions around all of it; who would willingly bed the Evil Queen? (and she prayed that it had been willing on both parts). Why wouldn't she have used protection? She'd been sure that having children was nearly impossible for her, but that had never stopped her from taking precautions. And how _was_ it possible? Where had all of them been the last year? It would appear Storybrooke, but she'd been enacting the curse to send them back to the Enchanted Forest, and now there were people from the Enchanted Forest in Storybrooke who had never been there before. Was the father one of them, or was it someone who had spent the twenty-eight years previous with the rest of them in Maine? Had she continued on her path to redemption, and whoever it was had seen the good in her, or had she reverted to her old ways and it was the power of seduction and magic that had drawn them in? She felt as if she'd continued to try - for Henry - but then, the last thing she remembered was the selfless act of giving her memories to Emma and Henry so they could have a better life together. For all she knew, the pain of losing him forever had driven her over the edge. This man...had she loved him? Had he loved her? Had they known of her pregnancy before the curse was cast? Was he happy? Would he have stayed? Would they have been a family? Those questions made her laugh darkly to herself. Of course they wouldn't have been. Daniel had asked her to love again, but she wasn't sure she was capable of it anymore. She'd loved Henry, and now he didn't even remember her.

The sound of the doorbell ripped her out of her thoughts and she jumped. Throwing down her cloth, she scoffed at herself for allowing such daydreams. She may not remember the last year, but those last words of Rumplestiltskin still echoed in her head; villains didn't get happy endings.

She peeked through the peephole, wondering if Whale had decided to give her the news in person rather than over the phone, but Whale was not the one standing awkwardly outside her door, bouncing on his heels and twisting his hands together. Her heart leapt into her throat and she took a few shaky breaths before finally opening the door.

"Henry? What are you doing here? Where's Em…your mother?" She tried to keep her voice level, but she was having difficulty. The shock of seeing him standing right in front of her had thrown her completely off balance. She held back the grimace at the way he looked at her; as one would a friendly acquaintance.

Henry simply shrugged. "Mom's off working on the case somewhere, so I've been stuck at Granny's all day. I mean, not that that's a bad thing," he hurried on, realizing how whiny it had sounded. "I like Granny's, and I like the town, it's just…I don't really have much to do. I already beat the video game I brought with me." He shifted his feet a bit, feeling uncomfortable and hyper-aware of the fact that he was rambling. "I just…I mean, I had fun the other day – when you were showing me around – and I thought maybe...maybe I could hang out with you for a while?" When she looked at him in surprise, he blushed, looking down at the ground. "I'm sorry," he said quickly. "I know you're the mayor, so you're probably too busy, and—"

"Henry," she said, cutting him off. When he looked up at her, she gave him a smile. "I'd love to have you over. I'm not busy. Would you like to come in?"

A slow smile spread across his face, and her heart sped up at the thought that he genuinely wanted to spend time with her. "Are you sure? You're really not too busy?"

She shook her head, stepping aside. "Not at all."

He moved slowly, looking all around the inside of the house as he stepped inside. "You have a really nice home," he said, admiring how spacious it was. "This place is way bigger than our apartment in New York. Do you live here by yourself?"

She swallowed heavily and her voice cracked a bit when she answered. "Yes."

He looked up at her, noticing that she was upset. Feeling uncomfortable and not knowing what to say, he simply repeated, "Well, it's really nice."

"Thank you," she said quietly. Clearing her throat, she attempted another smile. "Are you hungry?"

"Um, yeah, actually. Mom left me a little money, but I haven't eaten since breakfast."

Regina looked at him in surprise. "A growing boy like you? You must be starving!"

He cracked a smile. "Yeah, sort of."

"I'll make you something to eat."

He followed her through the dining room, and her eyes widened when they fell on a picture of the two of them sitting on a side table. Fortunately, Henry's attention was elsewhere, and she snatched up the frame, holding it against her chest as she continued into the kitchen.

"Umm..." Henry caught sight of the mound of food on the counter and Regina used the distraction to shove the picture into one of the lower cabinets.

"I apologize," she said, standing upright again. "I'd forgotten I was in the middle of cleaning the fridge."

Henry laughed. "I don't think I've ever seen my mom clean out our fridge – and it could use it." He picked up a head of lettuce, still in the produce bag, and started tossing it lightly in his hand. "Want some help? I mean...since you're making me lunch and all..."

"That's very kind of you," Regina said, smiling. "Thank you, I'd appreciate it."

With him handing her items as she asked for them, it didn't take more than ten minutes to put everything away. He settled onto a stool as she started gathering all the supplies to make him a sandwich.

-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-

Regina was still waiting for someone to appear – even the witch herself – but so far, nothing, and they were nearly free of the grounds. They'd made their way through the dungeons, her mother's crypt, and now they'd reached the underground tunnels that would lead them to freedom. At least, what appeared to be freedom, but what she was sure was a set-up.

Roland's hand gripped hers tighter as they entered the tunnels. Yes, the rest of the journey had been dark and scary for a child, both of them ready to be caught at any second, but there was something about tunnels that were just more frightening.

As soon as sharp metal spikes came into view, Regina halted them, bending down to Roland's level and turning him to face her. "This next part of the walk is very dangerous. Would it be alright if I carried you past it?"

In answer, Roland simply nodded his head.

She stood back up and he immediately raised his arms to her. She swung him up onto her hip with little difficulty. "We'll be out of here soon."

"And then we find Papa?"

Regina nodded. "Yes. Then we look for your papa. And we'll keep an eye out for my people as well."

Roland clung to her neck, eyeing the walls with fear as Regina navigated the stone trap she'd laid out years before to keep intruders out. She held her breath as she stepped carefully between the tiles, adjusting her movements carefully to compensate for balancing Roland on her side. When they'd finally passed the dangerous points, she slowed again. "You'll be safe walking again," she told him, but his grip on her tightened.

"Can I stay? I'm sleepy."

She smiled warmly at him, secretly grateful for the excuse to keep holding him. "Of course." He rested his head against her shoulder as she started forward again, warily watching the tunnel behind, waiting for someone to come chasing after them. His eyes were growing heavy, however, and Regina could feel him begin to relax as he became more and more tired.

They finally reached the end of the passageway and she raised a hand, removing the large boulder from over the top of the opening. Once it was gone, she readjusted her grip on Roland and made her way up the stairs and into the frigid and crisp night air. Before doing anything else, she magicked a large fur blanket which she draped over the small child. She then replaced the boulder and headed into the forest, one arm free to use magic should she need it to protect them from anything.

It didn't take long for Roland to fall asleep in the comfort of the warm blanket and Regina found herself growing exhausted more quickly, both from carrying a sleeping child and because she hadn't slept for more than a few hours herself. Still, she pressed on, not wanting to be anywhere near the castle when they stopped.

She couldn't be sure, but it felt as if several hours had gone by when she finally decided she needed to stop. Looking around, the area seemed as good a place as any. She waved a hand and a small tent appeared amidst the brush, draining most of the energy she had left. Moving inside, she laid Roland carefully on the small cot and settled the blanket around him. There was still one thing she needed to do. Closing her eyes, she raised both her arms and concentrated. She could feel the shield spell as it stretched out from her fingertips and formed a bubble around them. It would keep anyone passing by – on foot or in the air – from noticing them. Only those able to detect magic would know there was anyone there.

Regina opened her eyes slowly, already feeling extremely dizzy. Magic required energy, and she'd already used too much. She lowered herself to sit on the cot, trying to catch her breath. After a few minutes, she lifted the blanket enough to slide in next to Roland, not even able to manage the simple task of changing into something other than the large and elaborate dress she wore.

She felt sleep coming quickly, and her last thought before it overtook her was of what her witch sister had planned for them.


	4. Chapter 4

Henry had been a wonderful distraction. They'd spent an hour in the kitchen, Regina happily listening as her son talked about his life in New York; his friends, his school, his teachers. It hurt to think about all of the things she was missing out on, but having him in front of her, sharing everything and looking genuinely happy, helped to ease that pain.

When the sound of her cellphone ringing pierced the air, Regina startled, drawing Henry's attention. She swallowed hard before reaching for it where it sat on the counter, dreading the call she'd been expecting all afternoon. "Oh," she breathed in relief when she saw the caller id; Emma. "Hello?"

"Is Henry with you?" She sounded out of breath, and Regina immediately recognized the panic lacing her voice.

"He's here, he's fine," Regina immediately assured her. "Didn't you get my text?"

Henry looked up, frowning.

"No, I just…I was out of service range for a while and when I got back and Henry wasn't here…"

Regina heard her take a deep breath and let it all out at once.

"Why didn't you let anyone know you were planning on picking him up today?"

Regina crossed an arm over her waist defensively at the accusation in Emma's voice and stood up straighter, though Emma couldn't see her. "I didn't. He came here on his own." She glanced up to see Henry watching her intensely. "Would you like to speak with him?"

Emma sighed. "Yeah. I'm sorry – I didn't mean…I'm sorry."

Relaxing a bit, Regina waited a beat. "It's alright, I understand. Here he is." Holding the phone out over the counter, she looked at Henry, nodding at the phone. "It's your mother."

"Yeah, I figured," he said, taking it from her. "Hey, mom," he started sheepishly.

Regina couldn't hear the words, but she heard Emma's voice coming clearly from the phone, and she watched as Henry cringed.

"Yeah, I'm sorry…No, I know what you said, but…but, mom…mom…I tried, but your phone was—" He slumped his shoulders, leaning against the counter. "I didn't hear it ringing, I'm sorry." He rolled his eyes. "Fine, I'll see you in a little bit." He held the phone back out to Regina. "She wants to talk to you again."

"Emma?"

"Hey. Can you bring him back to Granny's? I have some things I want to talk to you about – things I found today that might be a lead on this whole Wicked Witch thing."

"I'm actually a little busy…" Regina trailed off, thinking of the phone call she was still expecting.

"Too busy to make sure Henry gets back here safely?" Emma asked incredulously.

"No, no, of course not. I can drop him off, I'm just not sure if I'll have time to…" she looked up at Henry. "To chat."

"Regina, we're talking about the woman who cursed all of you – the one who wiped an entire year of memories away. What's more important than that right now?"

She closed her eyes, sighing heavily, trying to shake the heavy weight that seemed to be pressing down on her all of the sudden. "I'll be there in ten minutes." She ended the call and set her phone down on the counter with a little more force than she'd intended.

"You and my mom don't get along very well, do you?"

"What?" Regina looked up, feigning ignorance.

"You know what I'm talking about," Henry said, raising an eyebrow. "I mean, she says you guys are old friends, but half the time she gets this really annoyed voice when she's talking to you. You don't really seem to like her much, either."

Regina chuckled in amusement. "Ms. Swan and I have very little in common, it's true, but we also have some very big things in common – things that allow us to work together." Raising her eyebrows playfully, she added, "Against all odds." She pushed off the counter, scooping up her cell phone. "Now grab your coat and let's go. We don't want to be late."

Henry slid off the stool, following her. "What is it about this town?"

"What do you mean?"

"My mom says that we're here for her job, but this isn't like any job she's ever worked before. She's acting differently, and it's still really weird that she knows everyone here. She never mentioned Storybrooke before now, but it's super obvious that she spent a lot of time here at some point, and I get the feeling that people are staring at me sometimes, like they know who I am, too. But that's not possible, because my mom and I lived in Boston before we moved to New York. Whenever I talk to anyone, it always seems like they're holding something back, and I just want to know what's going on. Mom let me do more on my own in New York than she does here, which makes no sense. This is a small town, it's not like anything is going to happen, so I _know_ there's something else going on." He looked over to Regina as she pulled the front door open, wanting some kind of explanation.

Henry had always been smart, and once he had an idea in his mind about something, he was relentless. He'd never been able to let things drop, and Regina wondered why they thought this time would be any different. It had only been a matter of time before his innate curiosity won out, and she knew they wouldn't be able to keep the truth from him much longer. It all would have been so much easier had she been able to recreate the memory potion. Without it, she wasn't sure if the answers to his questions would bring back his memories or only serve to confuse him further.

She hated lying to him; especially after everything they'd been through and after she'd promised him she wouldn't lie anymore. But he wasn't the Henry she'd made that promise to, and it wasn't her truth to tell. If the truth didn't come from Emma, or at least from the both of them together, there was even less of a chance that Henry would believe, and she didn't want to frighten him. Instead, she told him the only honest thing she could. "Henry, your mother only wants to keep you safe." Of course, he didn't know she meant herself, not just Emma.

"But what is she trying to keep me safe _from_?" Henry tried. "What in Storybrooke could possibly be that dangerous?"

Regina shook her head as she started the car and backed out of the driveway. "You're going to have to ask Emma. But not today. Today, she and I have other things we need to discuss."

"And I'm going to be stuck in the room staring at the wall again, aren't I?" he asked dejectedly. "It feels like ever since we got here, everyone is trying to hide me away."

Regina glanced over at him as he gazed out the window, watching the houses they passed with his chin propped on his hand. She hesitated briefly, but the need to comfort him won out and she moved her hand to rest on his shoulder. "It's not that. They just want to—"

"To keep me safe…yeah, I know," he sighed, and she dropped her hand. He looked over at her. "Thanks for letting me hang out with you today. You're the first person here who hasn't acted like they're keeping some huge secret. Everybody else walks on eggshells around me."

Well that was laughable, Regina thought, seeing as she felt exactly the opposite. Just that brief contact of touching Henry's arm had nearly broken her. She wanted to tell him everything. She wanted her son back, but she bit her tongue; she was keeping the biggest secret of them all. "I enjoyed the company," she told him instead.

"Maybe…if my mom's okay with it, we could do it again? It's way more fun than hanging out at the inn all day. Or being pawned off on random strangers."

She smiled at the fact that he no longer considered her a random stranger. "I'd love that. I'll talk to your mom about it. Perhaps next time I can take you into the office with me…show you what it's like being Mayor for a day."

Henry grinned. "Yeah. That would be cool."

Regina parked across from the diner just in time for her phone to start ringing again. When she glanced at the screen and saw the hospital id, her heart leapt into her throat and she sucked in a breath.

"Hey, are you okay?" Henry asked, seeing her noticeably pale.

"Yes…yes. I'll be fine. Why don't you go in and tell your mother I'll be along shortly."

"Okay."

She watched him cross the road and waited until she saw him safely enter the diner before she answered the call and pressed the phone against her ear with a shaking hand.

"Regina?"

She cleared her throat, realizing she hadn't said anything. "Uh…yes?" She cleared it again to try and smooth the tremors from her voice. "What did you find out?"

"The tests were positive," he told her, wasting no time in getting to the point. "You're pregnant." There was a weighted silence before he continued. "If you can find time in the next few days, you should come back in so that we can discuss everything."

Regina nodded mutely before realizing that he couldn't see her. "Fine. I'll make time."

"Good."

"Thank you." Regina quickly hung up and dropped her phone into her purse. She fumbled with the door handle for a second before the fresh, cold air hit her and she breathed it in desperately. No matter how much she took in, it didn't seem like enough. She paused outside the door of the diner to lean against the wall, suddenly feeling the world spin. She desperately tried to regain control, breathing deeply and squeezing her eyes shut, but she could feel her legs giving up under her weight. The panic overwhelmed her and she collapsed, losing consciousness as she hit the ground.

* * *

Stretching slowly, Regina felt the small arm that was wrapped loosely around her waist. She shifted slightly, opening her eyes to place her surroundings. As sleep faded, she remembered the late-night escape and the long journey that had left her completely exhausted and drained of magic. Roland, completely undisturbed by her movement, slept on, his little body nestled against hers. She smiled softly before the peace of the moment was shattered by the sound of twigs snapping nearby. She sat up abruptly, body going rigid, and this time, Roland's eyes snapped open. He sensed the danger and his eyes widened in fear. Looking up at her, he opened his mouth to say something and she shook her head, lifting a finger to her lips. He sat up next to her, pressing into her side once more and wrapping his arms around her tightly. "Are they going to find us?" he whispered.

She moved him around so that he was sitting in her lap, legs wrapped around her waist, his head pressed against her chest in fear, and she held him tightly to her, ready to jump into action if necessary. "No one can see us, but we must be very, very quiet," she breathed into his ear, and she felt him nod against her.

Voices; men's voices. There were several of them, though they were still too far off to hear anything that was being said. It was evident from their footfalls and conversation that they were not aware they'd stumbled upon anything unusual. She prayed she was also correct in assuming it meant they were not a searching party.

The two of them sat in paralyzed silence, clutching to one another and listening as the noises grew louder. By the sound of it, the tent was not in the direct path of the group, and Regina thanked the stars above that she'd had the sense in her tired state to keep them out of the way of any easy traveling paths.

After what felt like several minutes, the voices filtered into words that could only just be made out from their distance.

"…not playing right into her hands? Do you not think it was her plan?"

Roland lifted his head from her chest as they listened.

"I agree fully with you, but Marcus is also correct. We must approach with caution and a well-thought plan."

With no warning, Roland jerked out of her grasp, tripping in his hurry to get outside.

"Roland!" she hissed in terror, jumping up after him.

"I will not allow her to keep my son while we—"

All conversation came to an abrupt end as Roland raced out into the trees, seeming to pop into existence out of thin air. Not far behind, Regina appeared, quickly staggering to a halt as several arrows were nocked and leveled directly at her. Normally she would laugh at the flimsy wooden weapons as she snapped them in half with an easy wave of her hand, but she was still weak from the night before and wasn't sure she'd be able to defend herself against them.

"Papa!" Roland shouted, not slowing until he was leaping into his father's arms.

Robin had to take a few steps back to keep from falling, barely catching his balance as his son was suddenly in his arms. He stood in shock, not understanding where Roland had come from, but not hesitating to wrap his arms around his boy. That's when his eyes fell on the danger that his men had already seen.

The Evil Queen.

She stood not thirty feet from them, seeming to be momentarily frozen. It only took a moment, however, for her to draw herself up, moving her hands to her hips. She remained deathly silent, and he knew his men had not yet released their arrows for fear of the magic she'd surely use against them. That she had not yet done so was a miracle.

Regina for her part, worked to get her breathing and racing heart under control. If these men detected any fear from her, they might realize she lacked her normal defenses, and then she'd really be in trouble.

They remained staring at one another, Regina trying to maintain her confident posture, and it was Robin who finally stepped forward. "You don't have magic," he correctly deduced, catching the flicker of fear in her eyes, even from that distance.

Not needing anything more, a few of the men rushed forward, catching the queen before she could run very far and quickly binding her hands behind her back. "It's time to answer a few questions, _Your Majesty_ ," one of them spat, giving the rope an extra tug, and she cried out as it tightened painfully.

"Enough," Robin called, moving closer, Roland still wrapped in his arms. "It was _my_ boy she was after. _I'll_ be the one to ask the questions."

Regina raised her head, locking eyes with him as he stepped up to her. The cold fury was evident in them, and she swallowed, knowing that her years of being the Evil Queen had finally caught up with her.


	5. Chapter 5

She could hear a humming noise, but nothing made sense. The world seemed bright; searing white light all around her, and she couldn't make sense of any of it. There seemed to be no source for the noise that was growing louder. It felt rather like swimming, but there wasn't any water, and she had no idea where she was. Slowly, the sharp humming turned into a voice, and she realized that someone was saying something…or asking a question? She couldn't be sure; it still wasn't making any sense. Then she felt a soft pressure against her throat, but when she went to reach up, she found she couldn't move. It was gone as quickly as it had appeared and she felt nothing again.

"Don't worry, she'll be alright." It was a soft, accented voice that finally pierced whatever fog was keeping her from the rest of the world, and she focused on it, trying to use it to ground herself.

"Are you sure, Papa?" This voice was much younger, and Regina heard fear in it. The motherly instincts in her caused her to fight to open her eyes so that she could console the child.

"I'm sure. She didn't hit the ground very hard and there doesn't appear to be anything wrong with her. And look at that; she's waking up now. Step back Roland. Here…behind me."

Regina's eyes fluttered before she finally managed to open them with a small groan.

"Your Majesty," the man greeted in a neutral tone, and she tried to bring his face into focus. From what she could tell, he was a stranger to her; someone she'd never seen in Storybrooke before.

"Who're you?" she mumbled, trying to sit up, but doing it so suddenly that a fresh wave of dizziness knocked her back.

"Careful there. You're already on the ground, but we wouldn't want you losing consciousness again. I have to say, when I imagined meeting the Evil Queen face to face, I never imagined it would be like this."

"Imagined meeting me?" Regina asked in confusion tinged with irritation. She put a hand up to her head to try to steady the rushing feeling and regain her equilibrium. She knew that he was poking fun at her, but honestly, she was still too dizzy to care.

"Well, I've been told about this land. It's a small town where everyone mingles and royals are not separated the way they were in our world. I was bound to run into you at some point."

"Hmm." She braced a hand against the pavement to push herself up and Robin stepped forward, reaching out a hand.

"Here, let me help."

"Sure you want to touch the Evil Queen?" she asked bitterly, ignoring his offer. "You wouldn't want me to poison you or use my magic."

Robin raised his eyebrows in amusement and cocked his head, giving a light shrug. "I suppose I'll have to take my chances."

Regina let out a rush of air through her nose in irritation, but reached for his hand anyway. She didn't want to admit that she was having trouble getting to her feet on her own, and while he was offering anyway, she might as well take the help without having to ask for it.

Regina tried to stand straight, but despite her pride, her body wasn't obeying her commands. She staggered a bit, falling into Robin, who caught her with a hand on each arm.

"Roland," he said, turning his head to look at his son. "Why don't you go in and save us a table, hmm? You can order one of those warm chocolate beverages."

"Okay!" Roland hopped up the steps enthusiastically, immediately distracted by the promise of his new favorite treat.

The door shut behind him and Regina and Robin were left in awkward silence. Realizing she was still leaning on him for support, Regina managed to pull away and hold up her own weight. To break the uncomfortable moment, she said, "Hot chocolate."

Confusion masked Robin's face as he looked at her. He wondered if her fall had caused a head injury. "I'm sorry?"

"Hot chocolate," she repeated, gesturing lazily at the diner behind him. "The drink your son was so excited about. It's called hot chocolate."

"Ah." His mouth remained open, for a moment, his head tilted in curiosity as he studied her. She wasn't at all like what he'd expected. He'd heard many tales of the Evil Queen – had near-miss encounters with her himself, and she'd seemed dark and cruel; definitely someone to be avoided at all costs. Then again, since being in Storybrooke, he'd heard rumors that she'd begun to change. She was still ill-mannered and someone people feared and avoided, but she wasn't the heartlessly evil woman she'd once been.

"What?" Regina snapped as she shifted uncomfortably under the thief's gaze.

"Nothing. Nothing at all, Majesty. Will you be alright getting inside?"

She glared at him in response and he put his hands up in surrender.

"My apologies; I'm only trying to help."

"I don't need your help," she spat, but the universe apparently had a mission to humiliate her. While she'd been standing still, she'd been fine, but as soon as she went to move, the dizziness was back in full force.

"It would appear otherwise," he said, gripping her once more to hold her upright. "Perhaps we should call a doctor. You're obviously not well."

"No!" she shouted quickly.

"You are a stubborn lass, aren't you?"

"Really, I'm fine," she told him, ignoring his comment. "I just haven't eaten anything since this morning and it's having more of an effect on me than usual."

"Do you mean to say you make a habit of malnourishment?"

"No, I just…" she shook her head, thrown off balance by the judgment and bluntness of the stranger. She was unaccustomed to people being so forward with her – or caring at all, for that matter. "As mayor, there's a lot to do in a day. There's not always time for all three meals."

"Mayor…" he said, a question to his voice. She realized there was no such position in the Enchanted Forest. It would be a foreign concept to him.

"It's a role of leadership," she explained. "Someone who makes sure the town runs smoothly." An expression of slight surprise flickered across her face as she realized she was explaining anything to him at all. Or that she was still being held up by him and they hadn't moved at all.

"Well you should never let anything come between you and necessary practices such as eating a decent meal, no matter how important your daily tasks may be. Come along, then. It's time you ate something."

Regina scowled as he slipped an arm around her back, supporting the majority of her weight for her. She wanted to say something to him; bite his head off for his presumptuousness or snap at him for handling a queen in so familiar a way. But she held back. She still needed his help and alienating him now would only mean being trapped outside the diner until someone else came along or Henry or Emma noticed her prolonged absence. That would only lead to further humiliation. Instead, she leaned against him, allowing him to help her and wondering about the strange consideration of a stranger; especially in regards to someone as infamous as herself. She needed a distraction.

"How old is he?" she asked as he began walking them toward the front steps.

"Pardon?"

"Your son. How old?"

"Ah. Roland is…well, five now I suppose, since we're all missing a year."

Regina smiled. "A good age."

"Do you have children?" he asked in surprise. "I mean, aside from the Princess Snow, of course."

"Snow is not my child," Regina said darkly. Clearing her throat, she tilted her head. "We were briefly related by marriage."

"But you've obviously raised a child of your own?" he asked, an eyebrow raised.

Regina subconsciously placed a hand to her stomach, thinking how just such a thing would now be happening again soon. "A son," she said quietly, shaking her head and dropping her hand. "He's twelve."

"A son?" This woman was truly a mystery. "And where is he now?"

Regina put her hand up to stop Robin from opening the door and he looked at her curiously.

"It's complicated," she told him. Might as well give him the truth; holding anything back would only lead to more questions from the man, and she'd rather get it over with. He'd find out eventually, anyway. "Actually…right now he's inside," she said, gesturing at the door. "But he doesn't know he's my son."

"I'm afraid I'm a bit lost," he admitted. "You spoke as though you raised the boy yourself, yet he doesn't know of your relation?"

"No, it's not that." She sighed. "His memories were erased – a separate incident from the year we've all lost," she elaborated. "In order to save him from the curse that was supposed to take us all to the Enchanted Forest, I had to send him away with his birth mother. It was the only way to keep him from being left here alone."

"Wait…Henry is your son? Emma's Henry – the one we're supposed to keep everything hidden from? That's your boy?"

Regina gave a short nod and opened her mouth to speak, but just then the door was pulled open, revealing Henry himself.

He took a quick step back, not having expected there to be someone just outside the door, and he looked surprised, but then he caught sight of Robin supporting Regina's weight, and his expression turned to one of concern.

"I was just coming to look for you," he told her. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine, dear. Just a bit dizzy."

"Don't worry," Robin told him, finally helping Regina into the diner. "She'll be right as rain in a minute. She just needs some food in her." His smile only widened when he caught Regina's glare out of the corner of his eye.

"Are you her boyfriend?" Henry asked innocently.

Robin's smile faltered and Regina stiffened, but before either of them could protest, Emma interrupted, stepping up behind Henry.

"Regina? What happened? Are you okay?"

Regina sighed. More and more people had turned away from their meals to watch the scene and she was starting to feel extremely uncomfortable under their scrutinizing gazes.

"Nothing happened – I'm fine. I just need something to eat."

Thankfully, Robin seemed to sense her discomfort and guided her over to a table. Once she was seated and Emma had joined her, people slowly went back to eating, and Regina let out a breath.

"Hey, mom," Henry said, looking over at Emma. "Can I get a milkshake before I go back to the room?"

"No, you're grounded, remember?" she told him, though she didn't sound angry.

"Ugh. Fine. See ya later, Regina."

"Bye, Henry." She gave him a smile and a wave before he disappeared through the back hallway.

"Hey, Robin," Emma called, stopping the man from leaving them. "Maybe you'll want to join us for this?"

Nodding, he glanced over his shoulder. "I will. I'll be right back." He turned back to look at Regina before adding, "I have a hot chocolate to order." And then he gave her a wink.

Regina – too surprised to say anything – watched him stroll cheerfully to the counter.

-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-

Roland wiggled in Robin's arms, so he put him down on his feet. The men gasped in fear when Roland dashed to Regina and several of them darted forward to stop him, but he'd already wound his arms around her legs. "Please don't hurt her, Papa!"

Robin's face was a mask of fear as his eyes darted between his son and the woman he was latched onto. "Roland," he said tightly, inching slowly toward them, "Step away from her."

"No!"

"Roland…You don't know who she is. She—"

"She's the queen, Papa. I know!" he said, his little voice filled with exasperation.

Robin swallowed in surprise. It wasn't even the fact that he knew who this woman was – he'd once seen her in person; it was how calm he seemed about it. The Evil Queen had been a part of many of Roland's nightmares. Running into the queen was topped only by the fear of ogres; an unfortunate result of a few close encounters and too many scary bedtime stories courtesy of his merry men. That he would now be clinging to her in such a way – even defending her – worried him, and he began to wonder what had been done to his son. "What spell did you cast, witch?" he growled at the woman.

She looked up at him in alarm, which quickly turned to anger. "I did nothing!" she spat. Technically that wasn't true, but she'd done nothing to _Roland_ , which was the real accusation being made.

"You must have done something to my boy for him to now trust you."

"I saved him," Regina hissed. "Perhaps that's why."

He blinked, but his eyes were narrowing a second later. "Saved him? My son has been missing for nearly a week now, and suddenly he appears with the Evil Queen chasing after him? The queen who cast a curse on the land and disappeared for nearly three decades before mysteriously appearing just in time for this land to be gripped by a new evil?"

"The Wicked Witch," Regina amended, hatred flashing in her eyes. "I assure you I have nothing to do with what she's done."

Robin opened his mouth to respond, but was cut off when Roland spoke once more. "It's true, Papa. She had nothing to do with it! She helped me out of the castle and protected me from the scary dungeons."

Letting some of the tension leave his body, Robin sighed deeply. "Come, son," he said, holding out a hand. "We should clean you up and feed you a proper meal.

Roland scowled at the idea of cleaning up, but the promise of food was too tempting to pass up. His arms dropped from Regina's legs, but he hadn't even made it a step before he'd stopped again. "What about Gina?"

Looking up from Roland to see the queen standing stiffly and watching him with feigned disinterest, Robin lifted his head to the sky and closed his eyes before addressing his men. "We're stopping here for a while. Let's get off the path a bit – out of sight. We'll be here only long enough for Roland to eat and then move back in the direction from which we came. See that she gets something to eat as well. I'll be back to talk with her once Roland is settled."

The men nodded and Roland reached for his hand. Robin didn't miss the way his son watched the queen over his shoulder as they walked away.

* * *

He found her sitting rigidly on a stump, ankles tied together and hands secured behind her back. "Little John tells me you didn't touch your food."

She jumped at the sound of his voice. Her eyes had been focused on the forest floor and his steps were silent.

"My apologies. I didn't mean to startle you."

"I wasn't hungry," she said icily. Her stomach chose that moment to growl loudly and her cheeks reddened slightly as her teeth clamped together in irritation.

"It would appear your stomach disagrees with you," Robin told her. He leaned against a tree opposite her, studying her thoughtfully. "My son seems to have taken a liking to you," he said, catching her off guard with the sudden shift in topics.

She didn't say anything – just looked straight ahead, blinking slowly and looking bored. He saw the swirl of thoughts and emotions behind her eyes and wondered why it was she felt the need to keep them sealed up so tightly.

"It's unusual for him. He's very shy."

There was a flicker of surprise and Regina tilted her head up to look at him.

"He doesn't talk much and he's afraid of strangers."

"Well he talked to me," she finally said.

"Yes," he agreed. "And _about_ you. On a first name basis with the Evil Queen, and he hasn't stopped talking about you since you appeared out of the forest this morning. He's told me all about how the two of you were both taken by the witch and put next to each other in the dungeons…also that you told him stories to keep him from being afraid."

Regina raised her shoulders in a light shrug. Apparently she'd made more of an impression on Roland than she'd thought, and the idea warmed her greatly, but she kept it inside. The nagging guilt was overpowering; guilt that she was using Roland as a balm to soothe the aching hole that had been left by Henry and that she seemed to have created a bond that she knew she'd have to break with the young boy.

"What should I do with you?"

His question caused her brow to crease as she looked up at him once more. "Excuse me?" she growled.

"I'm having quite the dilemma. On one hand, you're the Evil Queen and you appeared in the middle of the forest with my boy. Regardless of what either of you says, there is no way for me to know that you aren't lying. You could have kidnapped Roland, held him for a few days, given him false memories and then returned him."

"What possible purpose could that serve?" she asked in irritation.

Although he shrugged a shoulder and raised an eyebrow, he continued speaking as if he hadn't been interrupted. "But on the other, you could be telling the truth, which would mean that we have a common enemy. It wouldn't make this decision any easier, however."

"And what decision would that be?"

"Whether to keep you or let you go. Either way you could be a danger to me and my men."

"I'll make it easy for you. Let me go and I won't kill you."

He gave a humorless chuckle. "I have a feeling that if you were able to, you would have done it by now."

"I could be toying with you. I've been known to do worse."

"Exactly my point. Keep you here, and I may be dooming my men to a terrible fate. Let you go, however, and you could just as easily go running back to the Wicked Witch and tell her everything you know about us."

It was Regina's turn to laugh. "What makes you think a measly band of thieves means anything to her?"

Robin lifted an eyebrow and uncrossed his arms, pushing himself off the tree. In one fluid motion, he'd pulled a knife from his belt and moved to stand right in front of her. In spite of herself, she flinched back, inwardly cursing herself for stubbornly testing his limits beyond their boundaries.

Instead of using the weapon on her, however, he quickly cut through the ropes binding her and she blinked at him in confusion.

"I…don't understand," she said slowly as he slid the knife back into place.

"Well, Your Majesty, I've come to the conclusion that you don't have much of an idea as to what's been happening in this world. Either that or you are, in fact, playing me, in which case I wouldn't have much of a chance anyway, now would I?"

"So you're letting me go?"

"I suppose I'm offering you a choice."

She studied him for a moment, and once she'd decided he was being serious, she let out a sharp laugh. "Don't flatter yourself. As if I would choose to remain here," she scoffed, already turning toward the open woods.

"If you're telling the truth about everything, you should be warned…"

A part of her said not to pay him any mind – just to keep walking and ignore him, not giving him the benefit of thinking she cared what he had to say. But the other part – the more practical side of her – didn't want to chance missing something important. She compromised by pausing her steps but not turning around.

When he didn't speak, she turned her head to the side, not looking back at him, but indicating to him that she was listening.

"These woods are not the woods you remember," he told her. "Things have changed since you were last here. Aside from no longer having your legion of guards to protect you, there are new dangers."

Letting out a deep laugh, Regina turned just enough to make eye contact. "Are you comparing your ragtag band of miscreants to my trained soldiers?"

"I wouldn't venture such a false claim," he assured her. After a pause, he added, "My miscreants are both better mannered and better fighters than any Black Guard we've ever crossed paths with."

Eyes widening at his bluntness, she was almost impressed with the nerve he had to speak ill of both herself and her soldiers. Then again, she was alone and powerless; the one fact which kept her from spinning on her heel and marching straight into the forest.

Losing the humor, Robin's face grew deadly serious as he continued. "The curse you cast caused a disruption that I doubt even you suspected. Without the kingdoms to keep a balance, there was no trade system. People were cut off from one another and the lack of organization began to draw the wrong kind of attention. With no law, dangerous criminals run free, unchecked and unafraid of consequences for their acts of violence. Ogres returned to our lands and there are no armies to drive them away. Wraiths slithered their way into our world, some undiscerning of whether their victims bare the mark. They roam the forests at night, mostly alone, but sometimes in groups. And now with the Wicked Witch in power, she's got her own nightmares crawling the lands when darkness falls." He took one step towards her, locking eyes with her in an effort to convey his sincerity. "Think of me what you will, but heed my advice; these woods should not be traversed alone. I thank the heavens that you and Roland did not run across such creatures and that my son is once again safe and under my watch. If you truly do not possess your magic as you claim, you would have no hope to defend yourself. You must know that I offer you escort despite the conflict it would cause amongst my camp. Do not take it lightly."

Regina swallowed, turning to rake her gaze across the forest for the unseen foe. She wondered if perhaps it wouldn't be better to simply disappear into the night. After all, she had no Henry, no Storybrooke, no happy ending, nothing good in sight. But then, she'd never been one to give up so easily. She was viciously stubborn, often to her own detriment, but one thing had never wavered; not since that night long ago when a shattered young woman had broken past the balcony railing – to this day, she wasn't sure whether or not she'd meant to. Regina was a fighter.

Facing Robin fully, she placed her hands on her hips, resigned to the idea that she was now stuck with the man for the time being. "Everyone carried away by the original curse has been returned to this land. I was separated from my party when that disgusting flying animal snatched me up. You will help me track them," she informed him, "and once I've located and rejoined them, you can take your sad, motley troop and crawl back to whatever patch of dirt and trees you call home." With that, she strode past him, not sparing him a second glance as she headed toward the rest of his men.

Scrubbing a heavy hand down his face, Robin shook his head and groaned. Whatever else was said about the queen, her ego had not been exaggerated; he watched as she marched haughtily into the midst of the very group that had pointed weapons at her not an hour before, arms waving as she condescendingly gave them her orders. Perhaps letting her loose had not been the wisest decision. "Gods," he muttered to himself, seeing the accusing glares of his men leveled at him, "This woman will be the death of me."


	6. Chapter 6

Regina chewed slowly on her mouthful of pasta. She could feel Robin's gaze on her, so she did her best to studiously ignore him. Bad enough she was eating the food _he'd_ brought to her. He hadn't even given her the chance to order.

Instead, she looked over at Emma, who was watching her with raised eyebrows. "So what was this all-important news, Ms. Swan?"

"I don't think I've ever seen you get anything aside from a coffee when you come in here."

Regina let out a heavy sigh, but Emma either didn't hear it or didn't care.

"I'd always imagined you were more of a salad-only type of woman."

Swallowing her bite, Regina leveled Emma with an unamused glare. "As fascinating as my personal habits may be to you, I told you I was busy today, and I strongly suggest you get straight to the point if you have anything of value to tell me." She caught Robin biting back a smile as Emma sat up straighter, looking appropriately chastised.

"Right, yeah. Well you know how we set up that whole gossip network thing and were trying to catch the person in the act?"

She rolled her eyes. "A crude description if I've ever heard one, but accurate," she agreed. "What of it?"

"Well, instead of waiting to catch the person at your office, I kinda used my superpowers."

Right…her office. Regina was suddenly glad that Emma had called the impromptu meeting. With everything going on, she'd completely forgotten that she'd arranged to meet Emma outside the office just before dark. Ignoring the superpower comment, Regina cleared her throat. "And?"

"And I noticed one of the townspeople in Granny's at the time acting pretty strangely. I followed her, and I'm telling you Regina…this is our bad guy. She lives out in this creepy cabin that practically screams 'Wizard of Oz', she kept looking behind her like she was being followed and she's got a cellar with a lock on it."

The dizziness had finally completely disappeared, largely due to the food that Robin had set in front of her, but now there was a headache quickly building. They were more and more common the longer they were back in Storybrooke, and Regina wondered if a certain blonde wasn't the source. "Ms. Swan, I'm surprised I have to point this out after your very astute observations, but just because a woman lives alone in a cabin resembling something from a movie and keeps her cellar locked does not mean that she is guilty of villainy and casting curses. And I imagine the reason she felt like she was being followed was because you were following her."

Emma's face scrunched in annoyance. "Well, when you say it that way, yeah, it does sound bad, but I just know. It's her. She's the one."

In response, Regina picked up a leaf from her side salad with her fingers and popped it into her mouth.

"You aren't going to say anything?"

Brushing her hands together to clear them of non-existent food particles, Regina swallowed again and looked at her tiredly. "I've experienced first-hand the benefits of your superpowers finding evil, and I'm not willing to jump to conclusions on this one. I think it would be safe to continue on with our original plan."

"But then she'll know we're on to her!"

"Do you have any way of proving her guilt without doing so?"

Emma's face fell a bit. "Well…not yet." She bit her lip, but then a flare of determination lit up her eyes as she leaned forward. "We'll think of something. Come on! I admit I've been wrong in the past." At Regina's hard expression she nodded. "Extremely wrong. I'm sorry for that, but this time, I don't know…it's not fueled by anger the way it was last time. I think this is really her, and there are definitely benefits to discovering that without tipping our hand."

"I'd have to agree with Emma," Robin put in, looking straight across at Regina. "It would be to our advantage if we were able to identify who posed the threat without them realizing. It would give us a bit longer to try and sort out what they want and what they're planning to do. If, as you say, this woman is not our villain, then there's no harm done. She will never know that we suspected her and we can move on to finding the real danger. But if it is her…"

Regina sighed and nodded her head. "Yes, yes…we'd have the upper hand. Fine then," she growled out. "For now, I leave the plan to you, Ms. Swan." She stood up, laying her napkin next to her plate. "I have pressing matters to attend to, but rest assured I will be checking in with you soon."

"Yeah," Emma rolled her eyes. "Of course you will."

Clearing her throat, Regina glanced at Robin. "Thank you for…the meal," she told him, thinking about the way he'd helped her up off the sidewalk and not told a soul.

"You're quite welcome, milady," Robin smiled.

"Are you leaving?"

Regina turned at the little voice to find Robin's son lingering timidly behind her and looking up at her with curious eyes.

"Yes," she answered. "I have somewhere to be." Smiling warmly at him she asked, "Did you enjoy your hot chocolate?"

Roland nodded enthusiastically. "It was really yummy!"

"Just wait until you try a chocolate sundae," she told him, winking.

Though he had no idea what it was, Roland grinned and looked up at his father. "Papa, can we try one of those?"

"Another time, Roland," he answered, and the little boy pouted, but nodded his understanding.

Regina watched as he shuffled his feet and looked up at her again, his eyes nearly hidden by his curls. "Bye," he said quietly.

"Goodbye, Roland."

As the door to Granny's closed behind her, Regina let out a breath she didn't realize she'd been holding. Today had been overwhelming on many levels and she found herself looking back through the window to spot the thief swinging his son up and tickling him before walking toward the back of the restaurant. A strange feeling brushed through her as she watched them, and as she made her way across the street to her car, she found herself thinking about how he'd pulled her to her feet and held her steady.

-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-

"What's gotten into you, Robin?" Little John asked as the troop moved through the forest. "The men are curious how you came to the conclusion that letting the Evil Queen go was a good idea."

"As am I, my friend," he replied, looking up to where Regina was striding regally, head held high, about twenty feet away from everyone else. She looked every part the queen and he raised an eyebrow as he watched her turn her nose up at one of his men trying to warn her of a root directly in her path. She easily stepped over it, not even looking in the direction of the man who'd spoken, and his comrade voiced a few choice exclamations at her attitude. "There weren't many options, I'm afraid. We don't know that her loss of magic will last much longer, and had we kept her tied up, I'm sure we'd be the first targets in her fireball practice once it returned."

"But why must she travel with us?"

Roland bounded up to Regina's side, and Robin's eyes narrowed when his son easily slipped his hand into the queen's. She looked surprised for a moment but then smiled down at Roland and didn't remove her hand. "If she's telling the truth, she isn't prepared to face the dangers out there alone without her magic. And when have we ever turned down helping someone?" When Little John opened his mouth to argue, Robin put a hand up to stop him. "It's also a way for us to keep an eye on her. Now that we know others are back in the Enchanted Forest, we'll be looking for them, and if what she told me was true and she was traveling with them, we'll know for sure once we've found them."

"I still don't like it."

"Nor do I, but if we're lucky, it won't be for much longer."

They walked in silence for a minute or so before Little John turned his head away from where he'd been watching his best friend's son. "What of Roland? Surely we can't let him continue with this unusual attachment to the queen?"

A troubling thought indeed, and one which Robin was still trying to work out. His shy son had never before bonded so instantly with a stranger. To see him now, holding the hand of the woman he'd once woken up crying in fear of, had him even more worried about what Roland had been through. "No. We'll have to keep him busy, try to distract him. We'll let it go for now, but after today, we can give him tasks and missions to keep him away from the queen. We'll keep him safe and he shouldn't notice what we're doing."

"She will," his friend pointed out.

"Yes, well…let me worry about the queen."


	7. Chapter 7

Nine AM. Regina couldn't believe she'd slept in so late. It wasn't like her to sleep through her alarm, and usually, her internal clock woke her well before it went off. Instead of the jolt of panic one might normally feel about running so late, Regina found she didn't really care. She wondered if anyone would even be there to notice she wasn't in her office. It wasn't as if they'd reappointed her as Mayor, she'd simply resumed the position out of habit, and people were too busy worrying about the new curse to notice or do anything about it.

She took an extra second in bed, appreciating the peace of the morning. She'd had a moment of bleary awareness when she'd first woken up; those brief few seconds where everything is right in the world because all problems are forgotten. She'd been simply Regina, mother to Henry, mayor of Storybrooke, waking up with the sun shining through her window. And then she'd remembered everything. Henry wasn't sleeping across the hall, she couldn't remember the last year of her life and she was pregnant with the child of a man she didn't know. The shaky trust – if she could call it that – which she'd built up with the people of Storybrooke was gone with this new curse, and an unknown enemy threatened all of their existence.

Finally willing herself to get up, Regina made short work of showering and dressing. She bypassed the kitchen entirely, heading to the coat closet before she thought better of it. After the unusual fainting spell the other day, she thought it best not to take any chances. Instead, she grabbed a banana and an apple, planning on getting something more substantial for lunch.

Town Hall once again looked deserted, so when Regina climbed the stairs, she was surprised to see her assistant sitting at the desk outside of her office. The young man hadn't been there since they'd woken up still in Storybrooke - or back in Storybrooke - whichever it was.

"Madame Mayor," he said, somewhat uncertainly, halfway to standing before she waved him back down. "I wasn't sure if you'd be coming in."

She studied him; the paperwork he had strewn across his desk and the list of notes he'd made. He'd obviously spent his morning catching up with items he'd missed over the last week. Colin was not even twenty. He'd been her stable hand at the castle for only a few years before she'd cast the first curse. He'd always been a little timid, but it didn't stop him from doing his job and doing it well. After the curse had been broken, he'd tentatively returned to the office shortly after she had. He gave her a shy smile and she suddenly realized she'd been silent for quite some time.

"You've been absent the past few days," she gave as an answer.

"Yes, well um...I wasn't sure if you'd be working again or not, and the whole town is a confused mess with our memories all being gone, but...I apologize, Madame Mayor. I'm back now, unless you don't want me."

"No, no..." she gave him a quick half-smile. "I appreciate that you're here. There's a lot of work to be done and I'll need your help in organizing everything."

Looking surer of himself, his smile brightened and he reached for the coffee cup on the corner of his desk. "I brought this for you, just in case. It won't be hot anymore, but it should still be warm."

"Thank you." She took it from him and walked to her office, setting everything down on her desk and sliding out of her coat. Sitting down, she brought the coffee cup to her lips before she remembered she couldn't drink it. "Dammit." For a full minute, she stared moodily at her coffee, wishing she could have just a few swallows to start her day. Instead, she stood up again. "Colin?" she called, leaning her head out to catch his attention.

"Yes?"

"I'm trying to be a little healthier," she told him. "From here on out, let's make it a decaf."

A puzzled expression came over him before he nodded. "Yes, ma'am. Will I be picking up your usual salad at Granny's then?"

Regina rolled her eyes, thinking back to the comment Emma had made about her at the diner. "No, actually. I'll be going out later this afternoon. I'll pick up my own lunch."

"Alright. Is there anything else I can do for you?"

She glanced down at the paperwork on his desk. "It seems you've already found what needs to be done. Business as usual." She'd just turned on her heel when he called her name, once again sounding timid. She turned to him.

"I was just wondering..." he paused, looking like he was trying to think of how to word his question. "Do you know anything? About this new curse, I mean?"

Her eyes narrowed, and he hurried to correct himself. "I didn't mean to sound as if I was blaming you. I'm not – I know you didn't do this, I'm just...I thought maybe with your experience with magic and with your connections, you might have a little more of an idea of what's going on than the rest of the town?"

She relaxed slightly with both the knowledge that he wasn't accusing her of anything and at the slightly scared expression he wore. "I'm sorry to tell you I don't know much more than anyone else here. But we're working to change that. Hopefully it won't be long."

He nodded, sighing as he looked down at his list, immediately falling back into work.

Regina almost thanked him for coming back. She had to admit that the past few days had been more difficult without him to help her coordinate everything and take on the smaller tasks. But instead, she shook her head slightly and returned to her office. There was still work to be done, and she was going to have to make it quick if she was going to have time to stop and see Whale before the workday ended and the other citizens of Storybrooke were out and about to observe her comings and goings.

-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-

"Roland!"

The little boy looked up from where he was bent over a small pile of twigs, building a structure that no one but himself recognized. He'd chosen a spot only ten feet away from Regina's resting spot upon a large rock, and he'd been working very intently until Little John called his name.

"Meal time," the man told him, tilting his head in the direction of the rest of the men where they'd gathered to prepare food.

"Gina," Roland said, brushing off his hands and holding one out to her. "We have to go eat now."

Regina looked up to where the massive colleague of Robin Hood stood stiffly. It was apparent he'd meant to draw the child away from her. A streak of rebellion flamed through her and she wanted nothing more than to accept Roland's offer, take his hand and smugly march past the big oaf. But she didn't. She still felt apprehensive about the ease with which Roland had taken to her, and she didn't feel it her place to encourage him any. They wouldn't be traveling together for long, and after that, she most likely would never see the small child again. It wouldn't be fair to him to allow him to form a strong attachment only to have it ripped away when they inevitably went their separate ways. And she still felt the loss of Henry keenly.

So instead, she shook her head, giving him an encouraging smile. "You go ahead, Roland. I'm not hungry." It was a lie, of course. After refusing the meal from before and walking almost all day, she was starving, but she didn't see another way around it. Perhaps she could sneak a meal later, when they were close to putting everything away for the night. By then, Roland should be tucked away for bed. The sun was already beginning its descent and it wouldn't be more than an hour before they were veiled in darkness once again.

Roland scrunched up his nose in a small frown as he lowered his hand, but said, "Alright."

Little John didn't look at her again as he walked Roland away from her, but the boy turned around and waved over his shoulder. She gave a half-hearted wave in return and managed a small smile for him, relieved when he turned around and didn't see her smile drop in her fatigue. Walking all day really had taken its toll on her. While she wasn't out of shape in any fashion, she wasn't accustomed to doing anything so strenuous in high heels and a large dress. It didn't help that she'd exhausted her magic as well. It still hadn't returned and she imagined it has something to do with not yet having recovered her energy or strength.

"He really is fond of you."

Regina jumped, startled from her thoughts, and cursed inwardly when the thief caught her off guard for the second time that day. He emerged from the trees, a plate of food in one hand, and he extended it to her. "I thought you might be hungry."

She scowled at him, but couldn't help her tongue darting out to wet her lips when her eyes lowered to the plate of food. She was a proud woman, but she imagined it would be hard to keep her wits about her if she starved herself to death. Instead she reached for the plate, taking it from him wordlessly. She nearly hummed in her relief when she took the first bite.

"I worry about him," Robin said, ignoring her lack of thanks and crossing his arms as he watched her eat.

"I should hope so," she told him between bites. "You're his father.

"Yes," he chuckled, and then growing serious, "But the fears I have for him are greater than those of the average parent. How does one raise a child with threats of curses and witches, magic and dungeons, and all manner of creatures that do not belong in this world?"

Regina took another bite and chewed slowly, not really sure how to answer. She imagined she was lumped into at least a few of those categories of danger, and how could she reassure him of Roland's safety when even she was not fully aware of the present dangers?

"I also worry how quickly he's taken to you."

She raised her eyes to meet his at that, swallowing heavily.

"We've only ever had one woman in our midst, and she was a warrior. I fear Roland sees you as a maternal figure. Someone to replace the mother he's been missing for so long."

The food she'd already eaten churned in her stomach at his words; both because of the heartbreaking thought of little Roland without a mother, and because it reminded her of her own child. And what kind of mother had she been? Evil Queens were not cut out for raising children. She loved him more than life itself, but she'd hurt him, she knew that.

"He's still very young; innocent," Robin continued. "He doesn't understand the way the world works, and I'm afraid that if you continue to spend time with my son—"

"I understand," Regina said, cutting him off. When he looked surprised, she added, "Believe it or not, I've had those same thoughts. I don't wish to do anything that would hurt your son in any way."

He watched her quietly. "My men believe you to be a bad influence on Roland. They fear you may hurt him or lead his mind to dark and dangerous places, and I have to admit…at first, I agreed."

She raised an eyebrow and took another bite, trying not to appear affected by his words.

"But I see now that those are not the matters I should fear. You are right. If Roland were to continue growing closer to you, he'd only be hurt by your sudden absence when we find your people. I do not want him to suffer that loss."

"Then we agree. I'll keep my distance from your son."

"Thank you," he said, still not believing how easily she'd agreed with him. He took a seat on a nearby log. "You never seemed the children type, but you are good with Roland. Do you have children of your own?" It seemed an absurd thought to him – the Evil Queen with a child. He never would have imagined it. But after seeing her with Roland…She had spent many years in the cursed world and perhaps the time had changed her in some way.

She set her plate on the rock next to her and rested her hands in her lap. "I have a son," she told him quietly.

"I take it he's not among the group that returned to the Enchanted Forest?" he asked, noting the sadness in her expression.

"No," she agreed. "He's still in his world. It was the only way to save everyone from the curse that had been cast."

He sensed her desire to change the subject, so instead of more questions about her son – though he was curious – he asked, " _Another_ curse?"

"Mmm. Not me this time."

"And that is what brought all of you back?"

"No, actually." She gave a wry smile. "That _was_ my doing. The curse would have taken all of our memories, put Peter Pan in charge, and this time, there would be no way of breaking it. Storybrooke would have become Pan's new Neverland."

"Storybrooke?"

"The town we lived in."

"It sounds like an interesting place."

At this, she turned her head to watch the leaves move gently with the breeze and hummed. "It was home."


	8. Chapter 8

The first half of the day passes much too quickly for Regina's taste, and before she knows it, she's sitting in Dr. Whale's office, legs crossed and concentrating on not bouncing them with her nerves. She's staring impassively at the doctor, and it takes him clearing his throat awkwardly and asking a question for her to speak.

"Would you like me to lay out your options?"

"My options?" she asked.

"Yes. Your options in moving forward."

"Very well."

"Well, we've identified the pregnancy at a very early stage. Most women who haven't been trying don't know they're expecting until much later."

"And?" she asked, already growing impatient.

"I just wanted you to understand that you still have time to make decisions. Have you given any thought to whether or not you'll be continuing the pregnancy?"

She stared at him. No, she hadn't. But only because for her, it hadn't been a question. She'd immediately felt overwhelmed – was still feeling it and probably would for some time to come – but not once had she considered ending her pregnancy. Children were something she'd dreamed of in a life with Daniel back before she'd been corrupted by the evils of the world. Several children, in fact.

With Leopold, things had changed. Never had she considered building a family with him, and had she ever become pregnant with his child, she would have considered the potions her mother had once taught her to make.

But not this time. This time the child was untainted by miserable marriages and ties to a life she'd never wanted. As terrifying as not knowing who'd fathered her child was, it was also freeing. She had no memory of any reason she wouldn't want this child, and she'd bury the feelings that perhaps she'd wanted a child with whoever it was.

"I'm keeping it," she said matter-of-factly.

"You're sure?"

"I'm positive. Let's not waste time with decisions that have already been made. What's the next step?"

Dr. Whale couldn't hide the slight surprise at her decisiveness, but cleared his throat again and shifted uncomfortably in his chair. "We'll need to set up appointments. Regular check-ups and ultrasounds to ensure a healthy pregnancy. I can set you up with our best OB—"

"No," she told him before he could even finish. "I told you…no one else finds out about this." She frowned. "As much as I detest the idea of having you as a doctor."

He raised an eyebrow in a completely unamused expression. "About as much as I detest the idea of having you as a patient," he assured her. He relaxed his posture slightly, letting out a heavy breath and shaking his head. "I don't understand, Regina. People are going to find out eventually. Unless you have ways of hiding a growing baby, people will notice when you start to show."

"Sadly, those sorts of glamour spells are ill-advised during pregnancy, and with my magic behaving oddly enough as it is, I'd rather not take any chances."

"Then why bother with secrecy?" he asked. "It's only a matter of time."

"Time is invaluable," she told him sincerely. "Time could find us with answers as to what is going on in this town; why we're back in Storybrooke without memory of an entire year in the Enchanted Forest. With any luck, it'll return our memories and ease my mind about the situation I find myself in." She placed a hand to her middle briefly before dropping it again to look at Whale, mask falling into place once again. "Time is everything."

Dr. Whale nodded. "Then for now, no one else will know," he agreed.

"Thank you," she said, standing up.

"I'll want to see you again in a few weeks," he told her. "Get a better idea of how far along you are, make sure everything's progressing as it should."

"Very well. You can call me and set up an appointment whenever you see fit."

"Of course. I'll talk to you soon."

"Hmm," she hummed. "Too soon."

She smirked as she stood up, and Dr. Whale couldn't help the small chuckle that escaped as he watched her leave.

* * *

The walk to Granny's was considerably more pleasant than her walk to the hospital had been. Once she was far enough away, she felt a weight lift, no longer in any danger of being caught. She was going to have to think of a viable excuse for the future in case anyone ever started asking questions.

She tilted her head up toward the sun, enjoying the warm feel of it on her face when suddenly, something hit her legs. Looking down, she saw the young boy from the diner - Robin Hood's son. He, too, hadn't been looking where he was going, and they'd run straight into one another.

As she realized what it was that had blocked her path, her expression of annoyance melted away, but not in time for him to miss it. He looked up at her with fear-filled eyes, blinking quickly as if he were on the verge of tears. "Majesty," he said in a tiny voice, lip quivering. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to," he told her earnestly, shaking his head.

He looked so terrified, and her heart broke. She bent to his level, careful not to move too quickly and scare him further. "It's alright. I know you didn't mean it. Neither did I. I wasn't watching where I was going, either. I'm sorry, too." She looked around for Robin, but didn't see him anywhere. "Where's your father?" she asked the boy, and he shrugged, still looking frightened.

"I got lost."

"Your name is Roland, isn't it?" she asked him, determining that in order to help get him home, she was going to have to ease his fear.

He nodded slowly.

She smiled. "Do you remember me from yesterday, Roland? You and your daddy helped me after I fell."

Again, he nodded, and this time when he answered, his voice was filled with a little more confidence. "Papa said you were really hungry and that food made you better. He said you didn't eat all your vegables."

Regina let out a light laugh and some of the fear left his eyes, the shine of tears dissipating.

"Would you like me to help you find your papa?" she asked him, still crouched down so she was level with him. Her calves were beginning to burn with the strain of the position in her tall heels, but it was clear the boy was terrified of her, and she didn't want to tower over him while she spoke.

He studied her face; watched her smile, the warmth in her eyes. "You're the Evil Queen," he said quietly.

"I used to be," she admitted.

"Papa and Little John and Friar Tuck and everyone say things 'bout you in the 'chanted Forest. And I sawed you once, too. It was what all the kids in the villages I played with said – you looked scary. And mean. They all said you have mean magic," he whispered, the fear coming back. "Do you?"

She dipped her head, looking at the ground, ashamed of the person she once was and the fear she'd brought to so many young children. Finally she looked up at him, tilting her head, her expression filled with sadness. "I have magic," she said honestly. "But I don't use it to do mean things anymore."

"Sometimes I have bad dreams about you catching me in the road when I was lost from papa." His eyes widened as he realized that was the exact position he was in now.

"Roland," she said quietly; softly. "I promise you I will not harm you in any way. I only want to help you. Will you let me?"

He stared into her eyes a minute longer, and when the sincere expression on her face didn't change, he decided maybe it would be okay. She didn't look like the same scary woman he remembered.

"Okay."

"Good." She straightened, once again looking around in case the thief had managed to find them in the minutes they'd been standing there. He hadn't. "Where were you and your papa this morning?" she asked, hoping he would at least have some idea, giving her a place to begin their search.

"Umm. We slept in the forest and then papa said we had to come get breakfast because there wasn't any food. And then it was lunchtime and we were going to the food place again."

"You slept in the forest?" she asked with some alarm. What was Robin thinking? Maine nights were cold, and the woods were no place for a small child, especially when winter was on its way.

"We always sleep in the forest," Roland replied, scrunching his nose up in confusion.

"Of course you do." Where else would Robin and his band of thieves sleep? She rolled her eyes when Roland turned to look down the street.

"We were going to eat where you fell," he supplied.

"Granny's? Well that will be easy," she told him, smiling down at him. "We'll have you back to your papa in no time. Stay close."

He nodded and followed along beside her as she resumed her walk to Granny's, this time keeping her eyes out for a likely hysterical father.

"I bet your father's worried sick about you," she told him. "You shouldn't wander off, especially since you're in a new world. How would he be able to find you?"

Roland looked down in shame. "I know," he said quietly. "I won't do it again."

She wanted to reach out and comfort him, but knew he'd be startled, so she kept to her words instead. "It's alright. I'm sure he'll be so happy to see you, he'll forgive you immediately."

"You think so?" Robin was never truly angry with Roland for exploring, but he worried, and Roland was usually punished with something like an earlier bed time or no sweet bread in the morning.

"I do. But you should say you're sorry to him and tell him you won't do it again. It will make him feel better."

Roland's curls bounced when he nodded enthusiastically, eager to make his papa happy.

"Roland!"

Robin's panicked voice echoed across the street and Regina looked over to see the thief wearing an expression of giant relief as he jogged towards them.

"Papa!" The second Robin was close enough, Roland launched himself into his father's arms, clinging to his neck when he was swung up into a bear hug.

"Roland, you gave me quite a scare!"

"I'm sorry, papa." He pulled back and placed his hands on his father's cheeks, looking directly into his eyes. "I promise I won't run off again."

"Oh, my boy." Robin pulled Roland into his chest, placing a kiss to the top of his son's head. "I'm so glad you're okay."

"I ran into the queen on accident," Roland told him, and Robin looked up, seeming to notice Regina for the first time. "We were looking for you."

Regina gave him a nervous smile, not knowing what the man would think of finding his son with the Evil Queen. He'd shown an irritating kindness the day before, but his son hadn't been lost then, and while it was true she wasn't that woman anymore, many still saw her as such, and she often had trouble shaking the feeling herself.

"Thank you," Robin told her sincerely, breaking through her thoughts.

"Of course."

"After all that worrying, I'm starving!" Robin told Roland, and the boy grinned.

"Me, too!"

"How about your majesty?" he asked, looking at Regina.

"I was actually on my way to Granny's when I was intercepted," she told him.

"Well, perhaps you will join us for lunch? Unless we would be keeping you from something?"

"No..." She considered getting her meal to go and taking it back to the office, but she'd been cooped up all morning, and Robin was not nearly as intolerable as she'd originally thought him to be. "I suppose a little company might be nice."

"Is the queen eating with us?" Roland whispered.

"She is indeed."

Roland looked at her. "Your majesty is hungry, too?"

"I am." She smiled. "And you may call me Regina."

"It's settled, then." Robin hitched Roland to a better position on his hip and looked back at her. "Shall we get something to eat, Regina?"

She raised an eyebrow at him and smirked as they began walking. "The offer was extended to your son. _You_ may call me your majesty."

-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-

It was still cold, but not frigid as it had been before. A thickness had settled into the air, and with it, a large storm had begun to brew. Little John frowned at the threatening clouds that had quickly started to form. It had come out of nowhere, and he worried for Robin and the small group of men who had decided to scout ahead. They'd stopped not far from a river, and instead of crossing all together, they'd decided it best to stop for the night. Their leader had taken a few of the others to feel out the best path for morning and hadn't been gone long before the sudden storm front had rolled in, stealing the last half hour of daylight along with it. A loud boom of thunder sounded and Little John's frown deepened. There was a slim chance that Robin had already come back across the river, and the man feared his friends would be stuck on the other side until morning. It wasn't that they weren't able to take care of themselves, but this storm was looking particularly nasty, and he hoped they'd be able to find some sort of shelter before it hit.

Robin had tasked him with watching over Roland until he returned, and when a streak of lightning lit up the entire night sky showing how truly black the clouds above were, he made his way to the tent that housed the littlest of the Merry Men. The first few rain drops had begun to fall as he stepped inside to find the little boy sitting up on his makeshift bed, blanket pulled tightly around him and a look of terror on his young face.

"Where's papa?" he asked immediately.

"Still out with the others."

"In the storm?" His voice shook and he jumped violently at another deep rumble of thunder, crying out.

"He'll be alright, Roland," Little John soothed in a confident voice. He reached out to pat the boys head, but Roland shied away from the touch.

"I want papa!" Roland cried, and as if the sky agreed, the clouds opened up in a torrential downpour.

Little John frowned. Roland had always been afraid during thunderstorms, but never at this level, and never rejecting him. He wanted to comfort the little boy, but Roland's fear seemed to increase exponentially at every second. "Papa will be here at first light," he assured, but it didn't ease the terror at all.

"Then I want Regina!"

"I don't…" Little John was at a loss for words, never having seen Roland quite so frightened before. "I don't think that's such a good idea, Roland. How about I stay here with you until your papa's back?"

To his dismay, Roland burst into tears, shaking his head violently and gasping with great hiccupping sobs. "No," he wailed.

Little John felt panicked. Roland leaned away from every comforting touch he attempted to offer and continued his crying, beginning to mumble to himself about witches and storms and evil. Little John was beginning to feel terrified himself. Unsure of what to do, he hoped desperately that he'd somehow been wrong, and Robin had been able to cross the river before the storm hit.

Not wanting to leave Roland, but not being able to do anything for the boy, he left a tent with a request. "Stay here, Roland. I'll be right back. I'm going check and see if Robin is back."

The boy managed to nod, ducking down further into the blanket as he continued to cry. Little John winced as another flash of lightening illuminated their temporary camp. It was one of the noisiest and harshest storms they'd had in their land for a great many years, and he cursed that it had occurred on the one night Roland was separated from his father.

He hurried to the river, watching the water rush quickly past. In the darkness, it looked much more threatening than it had earlier. Robin was nowhere in sight, though Little John could see only feet in front of him. The rain came down in sheets, blocking most of his vision, but he could see far enough to know that Robin had not crossed, and would not be able to safely attempt it until the storm had passed.

It took only minutes to return to the tent, and he wondered how he'd tell Roland his father wouldn't be there until the morning.

Stepping through the tent, he opened his mouth to reassure the boy, but felt his heart drop to his feet at the sight of the empty bed – Roland was nowhere in sight.


	9. Chapter 9

Ruby narrowed her eyes when Regina sat down across from Robin and Roland. It was strange enough the woman was spending her lunch hour in the diner, but to be eating with someone other than Henry was nearly unheard of. She sauntered over casually, smiling down at the little group and pulled out her notepad.

"Madame Mayor," she said sharply, raising her eyebrows at the woman with a look that clearly said she wasn't happy to be helping her. "What can I get for you?"

"Ruby…always a pleasure," she replied sarcastically. "I'll be having a roast beef sandwich with a side of fries."

Ruby hummed, scribbling it down and looked to Robin and Roland, her smile becoming genuine, widening even further at the sight of Roland's face scrunched up in concentration as he tried to read the menu. "And for you two?"

"I'll have the same," Robin said, smiling politely. "It sounds delicious."

"I want…" Roland leaned his head in as close to the menu as it could go and ran his finger along the words, "Pe-ah-nut…peanut…buhh…butt…butter! Peanut butter! And jelly! Both please!" He smiled at Ruby when she chuckled and took the menus from them.

Robin was staring at Roland, who was tracing patterns on the tabletop. "Roland? You can read?"

Roland stopped and looked up at his father in confusion. Then he suddenly grinned. "I readed! I readed, papa! All by myself!"

Robin ruffled his hair. "That you did, my boy. But when did you start doing that?"

Roland tilted his head in thought but then scrunched his shoulders up to his ears. "I don't 'member."

Sitting back in the booth and sighing, Robin looked across and met Regina's smiling gaze. "I feel as if I'm forgetting many important things from this missing year," he told her, and frowned when her smile dropped almost immediately.

Regina thought of the child growing inside her and nodded. "We all do."

-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-

The rain was deafening, and with the added noise from the thunder, it took her a minute to realize the other noises she was hearing. The men outside were shouting – about what, she couldn't tell, but with every second, the sound grew more frantic and louder as more voices were added in. Thinking they might be under attack, Regina wrapped her cloak around herself and exited her tent.

Merry Men were running everywhere, shouting and looking anxious. Her brow furrowed when she noticed none of them held weapons. She turned her head up, squinting against the rain, but saw nothing to indicate they were being attacked. She moved closer toward the center of camp to catch a hint of what was happening and her blood turned to ice when she finally understood what they were all shouting.

"Roland!"

"Roland?!"

"Your majesty!"

Regina whirled to find a breathless Little John approaching. For the first time since they'd met, his sarcasm with the title wasn't there; gone with the fear of the missing child. "What's happened?"

"Roland is missing!" the man panted. "Is he with you?"

Regina shook her head, and because of how impossible it was to see in this storm added, "No." The same panic that had spread quickly through the camp gripped Regina and she grasped Little John's arms firmly to get him to focus on her. "What happened?"

"He was…he was upset. About the storm, about Robin being gone. More so than usual. I tried to help, but he didn't want anyone but Robin. And he asked for you. That's why I thought he might be here."

"How long ago?"

"Only minutes! I left to see if Robin had perhaps come back across the river and when I returned, he was gone!"

"He must be looking for Robin!" Regina told him, not understanding why the man hadn't thought of it himself.

"But Roland is afraid of rivers," he said, as if that explained everything. "He fell in once, and ever since, he's stayed clear of them."

"But he's terrified!" Regina practically screamed, already rushing toward where the river ran next to the camp. With the limited visibility and the ground slippery with mud, it took several minutes for her to reach the bank. She held her hand up in front of her, attempting to summon her magic for light, to clear a field of vision, to block out the noise; anything that might help her find Roland. She was still exhausted, but with the burst of adrenaline, there was a spark. The rain grew silent, only for a second, but it was enough. She heard the small cry off to her left and followed it, moving as quickly as she could while keeping her footing so as not to slide into the river. Little John attempted to keep up with her, but he was having more trouble with his footing then she was. The mud pulled at his shoes, and Regina's had already come off.

"Roland!" Regina cried, finally spotting the child. He'd slipped off a steep part of the bank and had wrapped his small frame around a root sticking off the edge to keep from falling into the rushing water. If he'd heard her, there was no sign. He clung paralyzed to the root, not even turning his head.

She finally reached him, leaning down to pull him from his perch. At first, he held tighter, squeaking in fear, but she yelled to be heard over the storm, "Roland, sweetheart, let me help you."

Roland finally looked up, and the second he saw Regina, he loosened his arms, allowing her to pull him up. Once he was in her arms, she took a good few steps back away from the edge and wrapped her arms tightly around his shaking form. He was sobbing, speaking incoherent words to her, so she pulled his head in. "It's okay, I've got you, you're safe," she said into his ear, trying to shelter him from the battering rain and wind as best she could. When she turned, she found Little John coming up, out of breath, but looking greatly relieved.

"Roland!" he bellowed happily, but the little boy turned his head further into Regina.

Instead of trying to take him from her, Regina was surprised when the man extended his hand to help her find her footing back up off the muddy bank. She readjusted Roland, clutching him against her hip with one arm as she allowed Little John to take her hand and pull her up onto more stable ground. He stayed with her as they moved back toward the camp, and she felt his hand lightly on her back as the Merry Men took notice of her, and cries of relief and surprise sounded at the sight of Roland clinging to her.

Little John noticed the looks directed at the woman and had he not seen with his own two eyes the way she'd desperately searched for him, he may have had the same look. He'd had it only hours earlier. But he saw the way Roland refused to even lift his head from her breast, and the ferocity with which she protected him. Many had not noticed the queen wore no shoes; her feet and the bottom half of her gown and cloak were covered in mud.

He followed them to her tent, where he held the flap for her, and once inside, the sounds of the storm were blocked just enough for them to hear that Roland was still muttering into Regina's chest.

"Roland, sweetheart, what is it?" Regina asked, swaying him softly in her arms as her hand rubbed circles on his back.

"Herrrr," Roland wailed miserably, unable to get more words out.

"Her?" she questioned, her brow furrowing. Then a thought came to her and she asked, "Do you mean the wicked witch?"

Roland nodded through his sobs.

"Oh, honey." She brushed his wet curls from his forehead, trying to dry his tears, but they were both drenched from being out in the rain and Regina found it was nearly pointless. Still, the touch seemed to soothe Roland, so she continued gently running her thumb across his cheek. "She's not here, it's alright."

Little John was nearly glued to his spot, not understanding what he was seeing. In the past, he'd encountered villages recently visited by the queen, and the stories they had to tell were of a ruthless, cruel, heartless woman who spared nothing and no one in her path of vengeance against Snow White; not even children were safe from her wrath. The few times he'd spotted her himself, he couldn't find reason to disagree with them. She was beautiful, but lacking any of the emotion or light in her eyes that made her human. Now, she was a completely different woman. She had a mother's touch, and the warmth in both her voice and her eyes surprised the man. Suddenly feeling like he was intruding, and wanting to be helpful, he caught Regina's eye. "I'll go fetch something dry for you and Roland."

She nodded before immediately returning her attention to the boy.

"What made you think this was the wicked witch?" Regina asked quietly once they were alone.

"There's never been a storm this scary," he told her. "She's mad because we left."

"No, darling, it's just a bad storm."

"Are you sure?"

She nodded. "I'd know if she was here. We're safe – it's just a bit of nasty weather."

His crying softened slightly and he rubbed a wet sleeve over his eyes, scrunching his face as it left behind a smear of mud.

"Here, let me help," she told him. She reached for the cloth in the small wash basin in the tent and used it to wipe the dirt as he blinked to keep it from his eyes. "All better," she said when she finished. "Roland, why did you run off?"

He looked down, playing with the embroidery of her dress with a finger. "I was afraid."

"Wasn't Little John with you?" she asked, trying to get him to look up at her, but he continued running his fingers over the beading.

He nodded almost imperceptibly. "But papa was gone, and I was afraid the witch would get him. And then I knowed you'd save us, but Little John said no and I couldn't find you. I sneaked away when he went to find papa, but there was too many tents and I didn't know where you were. But papa was 'cross the river. I tried to see him but I fell." He finally looked up, and there was such an expression of misery and shame on his face that her heart nearly broke. "Are you mad?"

"No, I'm not mad. I was scared, though." She hugged him tightly to her chest, kissing his forehead and lingering there as she breathed in relief, trying to calm herself down after the terror of him being missing.

"Me, too," Roland whispered.

Little John reentered the tent then, a bundle clutched to his chest. "A fresh nightshirt for Roland," he said, laying the stack on the bed. "And I'm afraid we have no women in the camp to borrow from, so I brought a night shirt that seemed it might fit you. There's an extra blanket and more cleaning cloths as well."

She noticed for the first time that she was shivering, as was Roland, both of them soaked to the bone from the harsh rains outside. Little John was the same, but his cloak was thicker, and he still had his shoes.

"I've alerted all the men that Roland is returned safely and there is broth being heated as we speak to help warm you."

"A fire is surely impossible in this weather," Regina frowned.

"One of the larger tents is equipped for such instances as these. It won't be kept long."

"Thank you," Regina told him sincerely, now having to consciously keep her teeth from chattering.

"I'll leave you to change," the man told her. "And be back with the broth as soon as it is prepared."

Regina nodded once more, and when he was gone, made quick work of changing Roland into his nightshirt before changing herself. It was difficult, as Roland was reluctant to let go of her for even a second, but she finally managed and once they were both cleaned up and dry, she sat upon her makeshift bed and opened her arms to Roland, who eagerly rushed into them. She wrapped the blanket around both of them, rubbing his arms and back underneath to warm him up more quickly, and it was only a minute later that Little John and another man appeared with the warm broth. It had sloshed in the weather, but there was still steam rising from its surface, and when the bowl was extended to her, she lowered the blanket and took it gratefully.

Turning Roland, she settled him in her lap and handed him the bowl before taking the other from the stranger with Little John. His eyes narrowed on her, but she paid no mind as she took the first spoonful and hummed when the hot liquid slid down her throat and settled in her stomach, instantly warming her from the inside out.

Roland wiggled around until his back pressed firmly against her and he continued to eat his soup, unaware of the intense gazes upon them.

"You can go," Little John said to the man with him and with one more look at Regina, he listened to their group's second in command, not without a growl of disapproval.

"May I?" Little John asked, gesturing to the floor of the tent, and Regina nodded.

Settling down in an awkward cross-legged position, John looked at Roland, still steadily ladling broth into his mouth. "I'm sorry, little one," he said finally when the boy refused to look up at him.

Roland's eyes raised as he continued to eat and watched the man intently, his gaze unnerving with his slow blinks and wide eyes, as if he was searching for something.

"I shouldn't have left you," he continued, and at the continued silent treatment, he sighed. "And I shouldn't have stopped you from seeing the Queen. You were frightened, and it was wrong of me to keep you from what you needed."

The spoon paused and Roland inhaled deeply, letting all of it rush out at once, sounding weary and exhausted. "I can stay with Gina?" he asked, and some of the fear returned.

"You can stay with her, yes." He watched the queen for any signs that she disagreed, but she only had eyes for Roland, and seemed wholly unperturbed by the statement.

"And I can see her tomorrow still?" he asked quietly. "You and papa will stop making us be apart?"

Little John flinched. They'd hoped Roland would have been too distracted to notice. They'd also hoped that his odd relationship with the queen would be a passing one which would fade with the loss of contact. It appeared that the bond had already solidified beyond what they'd expected, and Robin was in for a rude awakening when he returned in the morning.

"We'll talk to your papa in the morning, hmm?" Little John asked instead of answering. He smiled good naturedly when Roland finished his bowl and put it on the floor.

Roland twitched his nose and looked down with a frown, reaching for the hand Regina had let fall to her side after setting her own broth down. He tangled his fingers with hers and pulled her hand into his lap, playing with her hand between his. "Do you think papa's okay?" he asked.

"He'll be alright," Little John assured. "You know your papa. He never lets anything keep him away for too long."

"But the storm is evil," Roland whispered.

"Robin knows these woods like the back of his hand, and we've been through storms like this before. Don't you worry, Roland, he'll be alright. Don't you think?" He ducked his head down to capture the boys attention, and Regina felt guilty for the way Roland clung to her hand while he spoke to a man who obviously cared for him as if he were his own.

She gave Roland a tiny nudge, and finally, Roland looked up again. "Yeah," he answered. "Papa's strong."

Little John smiled, encouraged by the boy's optimism. "The strongest. And I happen to know he had his bow with him."

"He did?" Roland asked, a smile starting to spread.

"Of course!" Little John assured. "And you know what that means?"

"He'll never miss!" Roland cheered.

"Never." LIttle John smiled. "What do you say we get some sleep now so that we can see your papa sooner?"

Roland nodded aggressively, and letting go of Regina's hand, he stood, toddling the few steps to Little John and wrapping his arms around the giant man. His hands barely met, even around the man's neck, but the hug was no less meaningful, and Little John clung to him gratefully.

"Sleep tight," he started, prompting Roland.

"No bugs shall bite..."

"And we'll see each other at first light." He smiled as Roland giggled at their usual exchange of words the nights Robin was away, grateful that Roland seemed to be returning to his usual self. "Sleep well, Roland."

"Goodnight, Little John. Love you!"

"I love you, too." He finally managed to pull himself to his feet with a heavy groan and gave a small wave as he exited the tent.

Roland wasted no time in returning to Regina. Lying back on the bed, she made room for him to crawl in next to her, and once they were settled, she extinguished the lamp. She felt Roland clutch her night shirt tightly as the shadows flickered across the walls of the tent and jump when another flash of lightning illuminated everything for a split second. The sounds of the storm became more pronounced in the darkness, and she felt his shivering; this time stemming from fear, not cold.

She hummed a soft tune, both of them too tired for a story to distract him, and slowly, he began to relax.

"Gina?" he mumbled sleepily as she continuously traced her fingers over his back.

"Yes, Roland?"

"I love you."

The words were muttered in exhaustion, but she heard them as if they'd been shouted, and she stiffened.

How? How was it that in so short a time, such a sweet and innocent child had come to say he loved her? Especially one who'd been so terrified of her. And what should she do? She and Robin had only discussed her separation from Roland that afternoon – what would he say to finding out his son had run from a man who'd helped raise him to find her? And as much as she wanted to return the sentiment, she wasn't sure she could. She definitely felt love for this boy, but saying it? It felt both a betrayal to Henry, and like a selfish indulgence. But what would the sweet boy think if she said nothing? She opened her mouth, searching for the proper response, when she realized it didn't matter. The steady breaths against her collar bone and the way his small fingers had loosened their tangle in her shirt told her he'd already fallen asleep.


	10. Chapter 10

Roland swung his hand in his father's as they walked down the sidewalk in the direction of town hall.

"You really don't have to walk me," Regina told him. "I appreciate the gesture, but it's unnecessary."

"Nonsense. You found my son and paid for our meal, it's the least I can do."

Raising an eyebrow, she looked over at him. "After yesterday? You can consider us even."

"Ah." He smiled. "So, this place we're accompanying you to…it's the mayor occupation you referred to?"

"Yes."

"And from there you run the town?"

"I don't exactly run the town," she laughed. "But I do try to keep everything running smoothly. It involves a lot of paperwork."

"Excuse me for saying so, but that sounds utterly boring," he told her with a smirk, and she let out a bark of laughter.

"Well, boring or not, it needs done, and it just so happens I don't mind it all that much."

"So tell me – other than paperwork, what does this mayorship entail? Anything compared to being queen?"

"Mmm. A far cry from queen, but then, that's not entirely a bad thing," she said, somewhat sadly. Robin opened his mouth, but she continued before he could say anything. "It does have its similarities, though. I'm in a position of power, and it's my job to oversee all the different working pieces of our town. I doubt it's an office I'll be holding much longer, however," she told him, shrugging as she put her hands into her coat pockets.

"Oh?"

"This world is not like ours. Here, leaders are elected – chosen by the people – not born or married into their roles. As you can imagine, me being who I am, well…"

Robin hummed his understanding. "But it's a position you enjoy?"

"Very much," she admitted. "I've been doing it for almost thirty years now."

"You've done your job well."

"You can't know that, you only just arrived last week," she pointed out.

"Yes, well I've seen the wonders of this world, and I've only just begun to understand how everything works, but it appears people have been well taken care of. Besides, I've heard no complaints." At her arched eyebrows, he added, " _Legitimate_ complaints. It sounds rather like you've done your best to keep everything running in proper order."

She looked down at the ground as she walked, but didn't say anything. She'd had her moments; using her position and power to her advantage or to manipulate, but overall, she really had tried to do her best as town leader. Looking back up, she realized that they'd already reached their destination. Too soon, she thought briefly before quickly dismissing the thought. This man's company was pleasant, but her life had grown complicated enough without entertaining thoughts of friendship or romance. Their conversations held a note of flirtatiousness to them, she'd admit, but she was starting to wonder if maybe she shouldn't have allowed even that. She had a mission – a witch to hunt, a curse to break and a pregnancy to deal with on top of it all.

"Thank you for walking me," she told him shortly, turning up the path.

"Milady…" he called, confused by her sudden mood-shift.

She turned back, pausing.

Whatever it was he'd been about to say, he seemed to change his mind and he shook his head. "It is Roland and I who should be thanking you."

She looked over to see Roland watching her and softened a bit. "Perhaps I'll see you again. No more running away from your father, though, hmm?"

He shyly gave her the smallest of smiles and nodded his head, raising a hand to wave.

One wave back and she turned her back on the pair. It was time she focused on the tasks ahead.

-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-

Robin made his way quickly through the camp, seeking out the tent housing his son. He cursed under his breath when he nearly slipped on a muddy patch of ground. The storm had raged on for hours, not letting up until only an hour before. It had kept him and his men from returning to camp before darkness fell, and he'd spent the first several hours of the night wide awake and worried about Roland. He knew how much his son hated storms and he'd wanted nothing more than to go to him. His goal was to be back before his son woke. The other men grumbled as they returned to their own tents, exhausted from the long night in the cold and ready for proper shelter and a well-deserved sleep. Robin planned to delay their plans for travel today; allow the men to rest a little longer.

He finally reached his own tent, but stepping inside, it was easy to see Roland was not present. The bed was empty and the blanket was missing. It didn't worry him – Little John was watching him, as always. It was likely the little boy had simply been too afraid to sleep on his own.

He had no trouble finding his friend's tent. He followed the sound of the deep snores. Finding the right one, he held the flap aside and walked in. The sight that greeted him caused his stomach to drop. John's massive form occupied the entire pile of blankets, and it was clear that Roland wasn't with him.

"Little John," Robin called, attempting to wake him. "John!"

John grumbled a bit and then sat up, blinking wearily at him in confusion. "Robin?"

"Yes, I'm back. Roland is not in the tent, where is he?"

"Roland?" John asked, and covered his mouth when a giant yawn escaped.

"My son, John! Where is he?" he asked, growing more desperate.

John's eyes opened a little wider at Robin's tone and he finally managed to focus. "Ah, yes...well with the storm last night, Roland was a little shaken up. He's fine now, don't worry," John said quickly, seeing the expression on his friend's face, "but there was a little incident last night. He ran off in search of you."

"And where is he now?"

"Well, uh, the queen found him and, well...you're not going to like it, but Roland's refused to leave her side. I couldn't even talk him into staying with me."

Robin sighed, part relief at finally knowing where his son was, part frustration that they'd failed to keep Roland from the queen.

"He'd already grown too attached, I suppose," John told him. "It's part of the reason he ran off in the first place. When you couldn't be the one to comfort him, he asked for her. I told him no and it upset him. He ran off when I'd gone to check for you. The queen had to use her magic to find him in that storm. It was mighty nasty, Robin, and you know how Roland is with just a bit of thunder and lightning. It's lucky she found him when she did, and the boy's been glued to her side since."

Robin didn't need to hear anymore, he just needed to see his son with his own two eyes. Nodding to John, he went to find Regina's tent.

The whole way he thought about what this meant; Roland attached to the Evil Queen. She was different, he knew – not the woman she'd been when she'd cast the curse or hunted Snow White in the forest – but she was still the queen, and she wouldn't be staying. If Roland had grown this upset over simply not being able to see her, how would he react when they went their separate ways for good?

He found the tent quickly and made his way inside quietly.

At first, he didn't see his son and his heart jolted in fear, but then he caught sight of the top of Roland's bouncy curls sticking out from underneath the blanket. Taking a step closer, Robin noted his son had found a resting spot, half atop the queen, his head on her chest. She'd wrapped her arms around him, holding him in place and her head was tilted toward him, face relaxed in sleep.

He took a second just to watch, still amazed that it was the evil queen not more than four feet away, sleeping peacefully with his son wrapped in her arms. She was beautiful – devastatingly so. Her dark makeup gone, face relaxed into a gentle expression she'd never wear awake, he felt a tug on his heart. And then he immediately shook off the feeling. He couldn't let his thoughts wander into that dangerous territory.

"Roland," he called softly. "Roland?"

His little boy remained asleep, but Regina's eyelids fluttered a moment before she was looking at him with her deep brown eyes, her gaze intense, even so early in the morning.

"Robin?" she asked.

"I'm sorry for waking you, milady, but I wished to see my son."

"Of course," she told him. "You were gone all night."

"The storm was a bad one. I'd have liked to return, but the state of the river made it impossible to do so."

"I'm sorry." At his confusion, she explained. "You wanted me to keep my distance from your son, but-"

"There is no need to explain," he assured, holding up his hand. "John explained to me what happened last night. Not fully, but enough. And I thank you for finding my son."

"You don't have to thank me."

"But I do. My Roland is very frightened of storms, and if you hadn't found him..." he shuddered thinking of all the things that could have happened to his little boy in the forest alone.

"He's alright," she said gently. So that Roland could reassure his papa himself, Regina nudged him slightly. "Roland, sweetheart, wake up. Your father's here."

Roland lifted his head and when he caught sight of his father, he jumped up, tossing the blanket back.

"Papa!" he cried happily, throwing his arms around his father.

Robin lifted him up, hugging him tightly to his chest. "I'm sorry I wasn't back for bedtime, my boy."

"The storm was scary, but you weren't there!"

"I know." Regina saw the guilt plaguing the thief as he reached up to stroke his son's hair. "I'm sorry, Roland. I wish I could have been here with you."

"Gina finded me," Roland told him. Jerking back suddenly, Roland wriggled until his father set him on the ground, brow furrowed by his son's sudden actions. As soon as he was down, Roland barreled into Regina, clinging to her. "You're not going to make me go away again, are you?" he asked his father again.

"Go away..." Robin muttered. Grasping his son's meaning, he asked. "Are you worried I'm going to keep you from seeing the queen?"

Roland nodded, not letting go of Regina.

Regina and Robin shared a look before he finally looked down at his son. He sighed heavily, but resisted the urge to rub his hand across his face. "You can spend time with Regina whenever you wish."

"Really?" Roland asked in a tiny voice. He looked up at Regina, practically in her lap with his arms around her waist. His big eyes and young, childish voice nearly broke her heart when he asked, "You won't leave me Gina?"

Cupping his cheeks between her hands, she stroked her thumbs across them a few times in a soothing motion. "Not today," she told him honestly.

"Good." He smiled and she dropped her hands as he leaned into her, bringing her arms around his back instead. She looked up with an expression of complete misery – one which Robin returned, thoughts of his little boy's strong attachment to her pounding in his head. It was too late.


	11. Chapter 11

Regina was perched on her favorite stool at the diner, indulging in a breakfast she hadn't had in years. Waffles soaked in maple syrup, bacon, eggs, toast and a large glass of orange juice. As time went on, she was growing more and more hungry. Thankfully, she hadn't suffered from morning sickness yet, and she was keeping her fingers crossed it would continue that way.

"Hey, Madame Mayor!"

She jumped and turned around, hand pressed to her chest. "Henry! You scared me. And I told you...you can call me Regina."

"Sorry," he apologized sheepishly. "I didn't mean to sneak up like that."

"It's alright. What are you up to today?"

He shrugged. "Mom's already out working on her case, and since I'm not allowed to tag along, I was just hanging out around here. Kind of boring. I was actually going to call you and ask if I could come shadow you at the office like we talked about, but then I saw you."

"I would love that. Have you eaten yet? Would you like to join me for breakfast?"

"Yeah, actually, I'm pretty hungry." He smiled and took the stool next to her. "I already texted my mom, by the way, to ask her if it was okay to hang out with you. She said it's cool, I just have to text her to tell her you said it was fine."

"Good."

Ruby came up to the counter then, noticing Henry's appearance. "Hey Henry, what's up?" she asked.

"Hey. Umm, can I get one of those?" he asked, pointing at Regina's plate.

"Sure."

"You can put it on with mine," Regina told the waitress before she disappeared.

"You don't have to do that," Henry argued. "Mom gave me money."

"That's alright. Use it for something fun like comic books. Breakfast is my treat. Consider it compensation for putting you to work later today."

He smiled at her. "Cool. Thanks." Pulling out his cellphone, he typed a quick message to Emma before sliding it back into his pocket. "So...is Robin your boyfriend? I mean, he seems pretty cool. He's been helping my mom, so I haven't really talked to him much, but he's been around."

Regina set her fork down with a little more force than was necessary, and it clattered noisily against the plate. "What would make you think he was my boyfriend?"

Henry leaned back, wincing at the loud noise. "Umm...because of the other day when you two came into the diner. It just seemed like you were together, I don't know. Apparently not. I didn't mean to say anything to upset you, I didn't think it would."

She put her hand up to stop his rambling. "It's fine, I'm not upset. Robin and I are acquaintances. We hardly know one another."

"Oh, well, he's cool, and he's pretty friendly. His son's cute – Roland. Have you met him? Sometimes when Robin and my mom are out together, he hangs out with me for part of the time."

As if on cue, Roland came bounding up from seemingly out of nowhere. "Henry!"

Henry spun around on his stool. "Hey, Roland!"

"Papa's with Emma again today, and Little John said we could come say hi!" He beamed up at the older boy, leaning up onto his tippy toes and back down again. "Can you play today?"

"Not today," Henry said politely. "I'm spending the day with the mayor. She's showing me how she runs the town."

Roland turned, eyes widening as he noticed Regina's presence for the first time. He looked up at her warily, then leaned toward Henry, cupping his mouth and loudly whispering, "You know the queen?"

Henry laughed lightly at the question, "Yeah. I know the mayor. She's friends with my mom and me."

Roland continued to watch the queen with a hint of suspicion. "You run the town?"

"I do," she said warmly, masking the feelings stirring inside at the sight of Roland's fear.

"The town is like the kingdom?"

"Roland," Little John said, coming up behind him, eyes on the woman he knew as the Evil Queen. "I said we could come see Henry, but we should get going now."

"Why?" he asked innocently. "We've only been here for a minute."

"I know," the man responded, "but the mayor and Henry are busy. We shouldn't keep them."

Roland let John take his hand and lead him away from the pair, giving a small wave to them before the door to the diner swung shut behind them.

Henry let out a laugh, turning to look at Regina. "He's got a crazy imagination. And he really seems to like fairy tales. So apparently you're the queen." He shook his head. "Sometimes I miss being a kid and being able to believe in things like fairy tales. I think it would make dealing with real life a little easier."

At that, Regina let out her own laugh. "You'd be surprised," she said under her breath, but Henry heard and scrunched his nose at the odd statement. Still, he breezed by it.

"So when do we start this whole job shadow deal?"

"After breakfast," she laughed. "I didn't think you were so eager."

He shrugged. "Hanging out with you has been really fun, and I think it'd be cool to tell my friends back home that I got to see what it's like to run a whole town for a day."

"Well if you're so ready to get going, you can consider this a part of the lesson. Hard to be mayor on an empty stomach." She nodded at Ruby as she appeared, placing a full plate in front of Henry. "Thank you, Ms. Lucas."

Ruby looked between the pair with interest and instead of taking her leave, crossed her arms and leaned down against the counter. "So what are you guys up to today?"

"Nothing," Regina said sharply, but Henry spoke at the same time, happily announcing, "Regina's teaching me how to be mayor."

One eyebrow raised in curiosity as Ruby stood up a little, ignoring Regina's response completely. "Really? Mini-mayor for a day, huh? You're not worried it's going to be boring?"

"What? No!" Henry protested. "She's in charge of everything. Besides, Regina's awesome," he said smiling over at her.

A large, warm smile spread over Regina's face and she ducked her head down in an attempt to hide just how much hearing him say that meant to her.

Ruby knocked her knuckles against the counter, smiling as she stood up the rest of the way. "Okay, then. I suppose I'll leave the two of you to your breakfasts. And you're day of ruling." She winked at Henry and even gave Regina a smile before moving on to help the other customers.

-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-

Roland leaped forward, brandishing his stick weapon at empty air and growling in an adorable version of intimidation. He stood in front of Regina who Robin could tell was holding back a smile as he defended her from the invisible assailants.

"Strange, isn't it?"

Robin startled at the sound of John's voice and turned to face his friend. "Hmm?"

"Before all this, the queen is what scared Roland the most. I'm sure I don't have to remind you of the night terrors he's had after hearing tales of the queen, and seeing her that once in the road? And now look at him. Attached at the hip, those two are. Instead of running from her, he's looking to her when he's scared and he's spending nearly all of his time with her."

Robin nodded in acknowledgment, then watched said pair with a tilted head as they continued to play. "She did save him, just as they said Little John. They were stuck in a dungeon together. She was the only person in there with him, keeping him company, keeping him calm. He knew her before he even knew who she was, and though I can't say I'm pleased with the result, I will say that if the good that woman did my son overpowered his fear of her, then there must be good to her. You've seen how she is with him just as I have. She's different when she's talking to him; gentle. I don't believe she could ever hurt him, and Roland knows that, too. He feels safe with her."

"If what the queen tells us is true, we'll cross paths with Snow White and her group in only days' time."

His leader hummed in agreement. "Yes. And we'll continue on our way."

"What of Roland?"

He let out a long sigh. "Something I've been thinking heavily on since he returned. It will be hard on him, of that I'm sure. We'll have to find a way to help him through it."

They'd been traveling several days already, the night of the storm behind them, but certainly not forgotten. It had seemed impossible, but the bond between woman and child had grown even stronger, and it was rare to see one without the other.

"Did you know she's been teaching him to read?" Robin asked suddenly.

John blinked. "What?"

"The queen. She's been in our tent all these nights before he falls asleep, reading to him and teaching him how to sound the words out for himself."

His friend remained in stunned silence, not sure how to respond to the surprising news. They hadn't had a chance to read to him often, but Roland had always been too shy to try reading for himself. He'd been a child of few words, his childish lisp extending longer than other children's. To hear that the queen of all people had been able to get him to try again was more than surprising. "She's good with him," Robin continued. "It seems she really knows what she's doing – like she's done this all before. I wonder if she might have had her own child in that other land."

"A child?" his friend asked with a raised eyebrow. "Who'd have a child with the Evil Queen?"

Robin shrugged his shoulders. "I don't know, but Roland loves her. He's actually starting to say the words without her help. And have you heard him speak recently? The lisp is all but gone."

They walked in silence, watching Roland swinging the stick lazily by his side as his other hand gripped the queen's, pretend monsters forgotten for the moment as he chattered away happily to his companion.


	12. Chapter 12

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is the last pre-written chapter, so it might be a few weeks before the next one goes up.

Regina readjusted the sleeping boy on her hip again, establishing a firmer grip before her arms could fall asleep from being in the same position for too long.

"I can take him for awhile."

She looked up to find the thief keeping pace with her as they continued their trek through the woods. Shaking her head, she focused back on the ground before her so as not to trip on any exposed roots. "I'm fine, thank you," she said curtly.

"Surely you're growing tired. It's been a long day, and in those shoes…"

"I'm _fine_. It's been awhile, but I'm no stranger to carrying a child in heels."

As his expression grew curious, Regina cursed herself for opening the door to the topic of Henry again. "We'll be meeting up with the Charmings' group soon, anyway," she added.

"You call them the Charmings?"

"An unfortunately sticky nickname," she grumbled in irritation.

"And we are to believe you and Snow White are on good terms?" Little John asked from beside Robin.

"We've been over this and over this," she sighed. "Hard as it is to believe, Snow White and I are able to remain civil...mostly."

"I don't see how it's possible," one of the men argued.

"Yes, well, you wouldn't, being out in the forest all the time. I imagine it would be difficult for you to conceive of anything at all."

" _There_ she is," one of the other's said. "We'd begun to miss your snark, Your Majesty."

Regina smirked. Much as she hated being trapped in the forest with these fools, she'd grown rather fond of some of them. Ever since the night she'd saved Roland in the storm, many of them had come around. Not trusting her fully - no, never that - but joking with her, including her at mealtimes and in conversations. They still had their disagreements, but they didn't make her feel completely unwelcome the way they had when she'd first joined their travel party.

Her thoughts were interrupted by the sound of snapping twigs and rustling leaves, followed by the muted tones of distant conversation, and everyone went suddenly still and silent.

The likelihood of any party belonging to the Wicked Witch being as noisy as the approaching group was slim, but not ones to be caught off guard, the Merry Men pulled their bows and slung arrows, moving stealthily into hidden spots behind trees and ferns and taking aim.

Regina moved so her back was against a tree, cradling Roland's head against her shoulder and nodding to Robin when he glanced at them from his crouched position behind a nearby shrub.

They waited with breath held as the words filtering through the trees became discernible.

"I'm sure that it was in this direction!" Snow's voice cut through. "It may have been a few decades, but I still know—"

Regina rolled her eyes as the sound of Snow's voice morphed into a shriek as the Merry Men came out from their hiding spots. Roland jolted awake in her arms, head turning side to side wildly as he looked for the source of the sound that had woken him.

"It's alright, darling," Regina soothed as she, too, stepped out from behind the tree. Then, raising her voice to be heard by the princess, "Though, really, Snow, you _know_ there are predators hiding in these woods. If you'd been this noisy back when I was scouring the forest for you, I would have had very little trouble."

"Regina!" A look of shock came over her. "We've been looking for you! How did you escape?" She smiled at Roland, who was watching the new arrivals with wide eyes. "Who's this?"

With attention turned to him, Roland shyly ducked his head into Regina's shoulder to hide, clinging more tightly to her.

"We need to talk about what has been happening in this forest," Regina said, ignoring the inquiry about Roland. "I've found it was the Wicked Witch who had me captured and locked in the dungeons of my own castle," she said with obvious irritation. "The nerve! And apparently she and her flying minions are not the only ones to have gotten it into their heads that this land belongs to them."

At that comment, Snow's eyes flickered to the group of men surrounding them. "And they are…"

"The Merry Men, Princess," Robin supplied, stepping forward and giving a polite nod of his head.

Her eyes narrowed and a slow smile spread across her face. "You're Robin Hood," she realized.

He grinned. "That I am. So you've heard of me?"

"Of course!" She smiled. "Many of the survival tactics I learned while on the run were picked up from stories I'd heard about you and your men."

He gave a slight bow. "I'm honored."

Regina only rolled her eyes and readjusted Roland on her hip once more. "That's another strike against you, thief."

He grinned and Snow's eyes went back and forth between the pair, curious about the light and easy banter exchanged.

"I didn't know we were keeping score."

"Which is why I'm always a step ahead."

"Last I checked, you'd never managed to actually _capture_ my men and I."

"You can blame that on pure dumb luck and the fact that Snow was much further up the wanted list. Now…are we going to continue this ridiculous conversation, or are we going to talk about the fact that we're now stuck in the Enchanted Forest with a deranged Wicked Witch who has sad delusions about her existence, and is taking it out on the kingdom at large?"

Snow sighed and looked around at the group behind her. "We should make camp for the day. We'll need time to talk and decide on our next move." She looked over at Regina. "You can bring us up to speed on where you've been and what you've learned."

Regina tilted her head in acknowledgment and turned, walking away. "We'll find a better campsite first."

-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-

Henry followed Regina up the stairs of the town hall toward her office, barely managing to contain his excitement. This was the first thing he'd been looking forward to since his mom brought him to the small town. Regina was the only person who didn't behave oddly around him, a trend which continued when the assistant in front of the mayor's office stood abruptly at the sight of him.

"Henry…" the man stammered. Colin looked at Regina in confusion. "I thought—"

"Henry is here to shadow me for the day," she said quickly, covering up his speculation. "His mother is busy with her case, and Henry asked if I would show him what it's like to run a town."

Colin smiled. "Of course. I'd forgotten that was today. I would have picked up an extra coffee. Or…hot chocolate, I suppose," he said, smiling. He held out a cup. "Decaf, as requested."

"Thank you, Colin."

She took it from him as she passed, and led Henry into her office. Hanging her coat and purse up in the corner, she told him to make himself at home.

"I'm a little behind on my work lately, so we might be in for a long day."

Henry looked worried for a moment. "I can go if it would be easier for you to work without me here. I don't want to keep you from being able to do your work."

"Stop, Henry, it's fine, I promise," she told him sincerely. "I don't mind having you here at all. When this much work stacks up, it can be a little tedious. You can help distract me when things become too dull."

He brightened and looked around the office. "This is really fancy. I like it."

Following his line of sight, she nodded. "I wanted it to be different. My own."

"So…" he moved his eyes back to her. "Is there anything I can do to help? I don't know anything about being mayor yet, but I'm ready to learn."

"I think there's something here I can find for you to work on." She smiled. "Pull up a chair."


	13. Chapter 13

There was something disarming about Robin. Regina was surprised to find how easy it was to be in his presence, to talk to him. He made her laugh the way that no one had been able to in a long, long time, and she was alarmed to see how easy it was to open up to him. She found herself telling him things she normally wouldn't share with a near stranger, and in just a few days of meals here and there, she was frightened by the fact that she'd begun to consider him a friend.

Time with Henry continued to be a joy, and Emma commented on the fact that he continuously asked permission to spend his day with the town's mayor. Regina was more than pleased to know that her son enjoyed her company so much, even when he didn't know who she was.

Today was a boring one, which meant a day full of too much time to think. Henry was supposed to spend the day sailing with Hook, much to her displeasure, and her worry for her son out on the water only added to the stress she was feeling particularly today. To distract herself from her recent troubles, she'd been throwing herself into her work, and consequently, she'd caught up and now found herself with little to do. Instead, her thoughts turned back to those scary questions that had been dancing through her mind since she found out about her pregnancy - Who was the father? How had this been possible? How had she allowed it to happen? And what was she going to do? If they never regained their memories, she'd be raising another baby alone.

And what if the curse _did_ break? What had happened between the mystery man and herself – aside from the obvious, of course. Had they had a relationship? Her mind traveled to dark places again and she tried to shut down that train of thought before she could do more than bump up against it. She took a deep breath and leaned back in her chair, trying to calm herself down before she began to panic. There was no reason to dwell on any of it right now when there was nothing she could do about it anyway.

"We'll be alright," she said aloud, circling her belly with her hand, trying to keep her breathing even.

The clearing of a throat had her shooting up in her chair, eyes wide as she dropped her hand and picked up a pen. She looked over to see Robin standing in the doorway with a guilty expression.

"I'm sorry. I was going to knock," he told her, and his hand _was_ partially raised in the action of knocking on her already open door.

Wondering how much he'd seen and heard, and whether or not he'd put it together, she shook her head. "It's fine," she said abruptly. "Come on in. Did you need something?"

"No. I was just at Granny's and I thought...lunchtime, company…" he gestured over at her. "If you'll have me."

Her smile was genuine when she nodded. "Of course. Where's Roland?"

"Little John's watching him today."

"I don't know why you insist on calling that man little."

"To be honest, I don't remember exactly how the name came about, but it stuck."

He followed as she rose from her desk and moved to the conference table. Taking a seat across from her, he began pulling food from the bag he'd been carrying and laying it out in front of her.

"You really need to stop policing my food intake," she joked.

"Not policing," he told her. "I know you've been taking better care of yourself. I just wanted to do something nice."

"Well I appreciate it, but how do you know I'm taking better care of myself?"

"I have my spies."

She narrowed her eyes at him. "Not any better than policing."

He watched her silently for a few seconds, pausing his motions of laying out his own lunch.

"What?" Regina asked, suddenly uncomfortably aware of how much attention he was paying her.

"How long have you known?" he asked quietly, and she tensed.

"Known what?"

"That you were pregnant?"

She bit the inside of her cheek. Hard. "Robin, what are you talking about?"

"I saw you when I walked in."

"What you saw was me being exhausted from playing catch up with all of this paperwork. And me regretting not closing my office door."

He nodded at that. "I'm sorry. But honestly, you can tell me the truth. I promise your secret is safe with me. I had wondered after that first meeting. The way you rested your hand on your stomach and that expression on your face. Marian wore a similar one when she was pregnant with Roland. And it would explain your extra faintness after having skipped a meal."

She watched him steadily, and he could tell from her expression that he'd overstepped his bounds. She looked about ready to scream or incinerate him, so he wasn't expecting it the next moment when she seemed to completely deflate and drop her head into her hands. "It's true. Talk about non-ideal circumstances. No one remembers the last year."

"So the father…"

"I've no idea. No memory at all."

Robin nodded solemnly, wishing there was something he could say to comfort her.

"No one knows," she told him. "Only Dr. Whale."

"And it will remain that way. You have my word."

"Good." She let out a shaky sigh. "Honestly, it will be nice to have someone who knows. It's a lot to keep in, and Whale and I aren't exactly bosom buddies," she said bitterly, still wishing there was a way she could have avoided him knowing.

Robin bit back a smile. "Is that what you consider us?"

Regina felt herself blush and hoped it wasn't visible. "No!" she snapped and then leaned back tiredly. "I'm sorry. I suppose I consider us…friends," she said carefully, and he noticed the guarded look which accompanied the words. That was no small admission coming from the former queen.

"Then we're on equal footing. I feel honored to be considered a friend."

"Just don't…tell anyone. No need to go broadcasting."

"If broadcasting means telling your secret, you needn't worry. I wouldn't dream of it."

"Good." Regina relaxed into her chair a bit.

-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-

Now that the whole group was on their way to the castle, Regina felt more at ease. She may be stuck in the Enchanted Forest with an unlikely group, ripped away from her son, but they had a plan now, something she could focus on, and she felt a little like she had a purpose again. They were going to try and stop this Wicked Witch character and reclaim the kingdom.

Of course, they couldn't simply storm the castle - they had to first observe their surroundings and formulate a plan of attack. According to Robin, there were several abandoned villages and hidden camps for them to use until they'd had sufficient time to make their observations and strategize.

Roland was overjoyed that Regina was staying with the Merry Men, and Regina herself had to admit that she was glad not to have to say goodbye to the adorable little boy. With each moment more she spent with him, she felt the feeling of warmth and hope cover the fear of having to part from him - to the point she could almost forget she'd ever have to. Perhaps not healthy, but it felt necessary at this point, as if it were the only thing keeping her from falling to pieces.

Regina was sitting near the fire, most of the camp having already gone to bed, trying to recall all of the many booby traps she'd placed around her castle all those years ago. Getting to the castle would be difficult - yes - but what lay inside would be just as dangerous if she didn't correctly remember the location of every deadly trap she'd set. It was apparent their green foe had somehow found a way around them, but Regina wasn't willing to take the chance that meant they were now dormant.

She was pulled out of her thoughts when a sudden weight careened into her, and she huffed a surprised laugh when she realized Roland had barreled into her from the side.

"Sweetheart, what are you doing? You're supposed to be asleep!" she scolded, but her tone was playful.

"You didn't tell me a goodnight story!" he said, as if it were the most heinous crime.

She bit back a smile as she shook her head. "No, I suppose I didn't. But your papa put you to bed hours ago. Have you been awake this whole time?"

"Mmm…" The boy tilted his head in thought and then looked at her mischievously. "No?"

"No?" She grinned. "Is that a question? You don't know if you've been awake?"

He giggled, climbing up onto her lap and placing his hands on her cheeks. "Majesty, pleaaase come and tell me a story? Please, please, please?"

"Well," she looped her arms around him. "Since you asked so politely, I _suppose_ I could come tell you a story. Just one, though," she added, "and then you have to promise to go right to sleep. Do we have a deal?"

He nodded his head seriously.

"Alright. You go climb back into bed and I'll be there as soon as I've changed."

With the promise of a bedtime story, Roland climbed down from her lap and scampered off in the direction he'd come from.

"Someone seems to have taken quite a fancy to you."

Regina jumped at the voice and then scowled, recognizing it was Snow White, and refusing to turn and look at the woman.

"Relax, Regina. I think it's sweet," Snow said gently, moving around to take a seat nearby.

Regina remained rigidly silent.

"What about his father?" Snow asked with a glint in her eye, and Regina's scowl deepened even further.

"No. His father and I tolerate each other at best. He hates that his son and I have grown so close, but allows it to continue in order not to hurt his son."

Snow frowned at that. "He'll be hurt either way." She sighed. "I think Robin does a little more than simply tolerate you. If he truly didn't like you, he would have split you and Roland apart long ago."

Regina hummed and tipped her head, not saying anything one way or the other. She stood, readjusting the cloak on her shoulders.

"He's cute - Robin Hood, I mean," Snow said.

Regina bit her tongue to keep from lashing out in annoyance. Instead, she managed to bite out, "Goodnight, Snow," before heading toward her tent. There was an impatient little boy waiting for her.


	14. Chapter 14

Progress seemed woefully minimal. Memories were still missing from all of the townspeople, Henry still had no idea who she was, and she was beginning to feel her pregnancy. She'd gained a bit of weight, and there was a definite pooch to her midline that hadn't existed before. So far it was visible only to her, a relief since she still hadn't told anyone (aside from Robin and Whale), but terrifying nonetheless as it served to bring home the reality of her situation.

It was also exciting, and she hoped to solve the current problems in Storybrooke not just to finally end the mystery surrounding everything, but so that she could have a little peace in which to enjoy being pregnant. It was something she'd always wanted, and thought she'd never have, and regardless of how she'd come to be pregnant, she was determined to enjoy the fact that she was somehow - beyond all possible odds - carrying a child within her. A child who would be half of her and whom she would love as much as she did Henry.

If they had their memories back, Henry could enjoy being a big brother. He'd always asked for a sibling when he was younger, not understanding the complexities of being a single parent, let alone the complications of the curse. And she knew he'd make an excellent older brother.

She'd been taking her prenatal vitamins and taking better care of herself, but she hadn't been back to see Whale since that first meeting. If the research she'd started to do on her own was anything to go by, she was somewhere between eleven and fourteen weeks. She knew it was time to make an appointment, but she wasn't looking forward to seeing Whale. Still, it was time, and she filed it away on her mental to-do list for the day. She'd fit it between witch-hunting and research. Oh what a life to be leading.

Emma and the Charmings were gung-ho about finding the person behind this new memory curse, so she'd managed to stay away from the more dangerous aspects of the job, but there were some cases where her knowledge and expertise in magic were required.

She looked up into the mirror in her hall as she finished fixing her hair into place, just as there was a knock on the door. Smiling, she moved down the stairs to open it. Robin had developed the habit of meeting her every morning with Roland to accompany her to the diner for breakfast. It seemed dinner was the only meal they weren't sharing nowadays.

Roland had grown less frightened of her with each passing day, and a few days prior, he'd sat next to her at the booth and politely asked if she could cut his pancakes for him.

"Papa always does it messy," he informed her, and she hid her grin as she nodded, sliding his plate over and beginning to slice them.

This morning he was chatting away from the moment she opened the door. Telling her all about everything they'd done since he'd seen her at lunch the day before and she smiled warmly, bending to his level to greet him with a small wave, as she did most mornings. Only this time, he ignored her wave and leaned in, wrapping his little arms around her and hugging her as he told her about something silly Little John had done.

She was thrown off guard by the sudden sweet gesture, looking up to Robin only to find him shrugging and grinning as Roland continued, unfazed by the interaction. When she'd stood again to lock the door behind her, Roland simply reached up and tucked his hand into hers as if it were the most natural thing in the world - the three of them walking to breakfast together.

And perhaps it had become just that, she realized as she listened to Roland's story.

People smiled at them as they entered Granny's, and she found herself smiling as well, looking down as Roland paused his story to look up at her and grin, his dimples shining through. She about melted on the spot, wanting nothing more than to scoop him up into her arms and snuggle him close.

"What would you like to eat today, sweetheart?" she asked him, hugging him to her leg instead as he giggled sweetly at her return smile.

"Scrabbled eggs!"

She chuckled. "It's scrambled, sweetheart, and that sounds easy enough. Toast, too?"

He nodded vigorously as he stepped back, allowing her to go to the counter to put in their order. She and Robin always ordered the same meals these days, and it had become a bit of a routine for her to place their order while he found them a table.

"He's got you wrapped right around his little finger, that one," Granny said, catching Regina by surprise when she suddenly appeared in front of her. She nodded in the direction of Roland who was in the middle of telling his father he couldn't sit next to him because that was Gina's spot.

Regina smiled fondly before shaking it away and looking up at Granny. "He hated me only a few weeks ago."

"Yes, well you turned that around pretty quickly, I'd say. That little boy is quite attached to you and vice versa it seems." She cleared her throat. "Any news on where they came from? One minute we're all supposed to be headed back to the Enchanted Forest, and the next, we have a fair number of strangers in our mix."

"Don't you get your news straight from the Charmings?" she asked as Ruby sidled up next to her grandmother, and Regina couldn't help noticing with a frown that her order pad was still tucked away in her apron.

"You're in here more," Ruby pointed out.

"Well there isn't anything to tell," Regina told them both. "So you can save your questions. We're just as in the dark as we were when we first woke up."

"Maybe not all of us," Ruby grinned. "Some of us seem to have befriended the newbies."

"Are you going to take my order?" Regina asked, growing snippy as she willed away the blush she could feel heating her cheeks. "Last I checked, you were running a diner, not a gossip mill, though it's always been difficult to tell."

"You're very funny," Granny deadpanned. "Put in your order, girl," she said, turning away. "I'll get you your food."

-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-

They weren't getting into the castle anytime soon. Weeks of scouting and intelligence gathering had proven at least that much.

Outdoor living was starting to wear on the spoiled citizens of Storybrooke as they longed for the shelter of four solid walls and lamented the loss of indoor heating, lighting and most of all - plumbing.

The Merry Men had done their best to accommodate the large group, but were growing tired of the often ungrateful attitudes.

Regina found herself at the heart of it all. As the person who'd spent the most time with both groups, she'd become the unofficial go-between, and found herself mediating disputes, addressing complaints, and making the decisions on what to do next.

"Even back in the Enchanted Forest, I've been delegated to role of mayor," she said, rolling her eyes at the latest problem to fall into her lap; food stores were running low and the regular hunting party was growing tired of being the sole providers of meat.

Robin stood off to the side, biting his lip to hide the smile that was spreading as she looked around the small gathering in the camp.

"I know some of you have hunting experience," she said, looking around at those she knew from Storybrooke. "Maybe not in the last few decades, but you've done it before."

At some of the low murmurs and small nods of acknowledgment, she hummed. "The Merry Men have been gracious enough to provide camp for us and supply us with all the basics of living. Surely we can repay them by at least accompanying them on their next hunt? Or have you all grown so lazy you can't fetch your own food?"

"Will your majesty be accompanying us, then?" Robin asked, and she glared at him as she heard a few snickers spread through the crowd.

"Fine." They went silent as eyes went wide and she nodded. "If that's what it takes."

"David and I will go as well." Snow seemed to appear from nowhere, and Regina raised her eyes heavenward as the woman stepped forward, looking around at the people. "We're all here together, and we may as well make the most of it. It would do us good to brush up on skills that have dimmed over time."

Rolling her eyes, Regina drew her cloak tighter around herself, preparing to head back to her tent.

"It's settled, then. We'll meet at first light tomorrow and head out."

She heard Snow continue speaking to the crowd as she made her way away from them. Let Snow and her Prince be the face of the people for awhile. Regina was exhausted and the close proximity to all the recent hope speeches was grating on her nerves.

"Have you even been hunting before?"

She recognized the voice of Robin without even turning to look, and didn't give him the satisfaction of slowing her pace.

"And hunting the faces unfortunate enough to grace your wanted posters back in the day doesn't count," he added.

"I have."

"As more than an observer?"

She turned a sharp-eyed gaze back at him only briefly before facing front again. "I've been known to be useful with a sword."

He hummed. "The prey we'll be after tomorrow will be much more easily slain with a bow and arrow. I could teach you."

She guffawed, continuing her fast pace through the camp. "You'd like that, wouldn't you? I'm sure I'll be fine, thief."

"If you say so, your majesty. Though we wouldn't want you embarrassing yourself in front of your subjects and fellow royals."

She didn't dignify him with a response as she left him behind, never more grateful to have arrived at her tent.

* * *

 

"Do you have to go?" Roland whined, clutching at her skirt as she buckled the strap on the bag she'd be carrying.

"We won't be gone long," Robin promised. "We'll be back tomorrow before the sun goes down."

"But who's going to stay with me?" he whined.

"Tuck. Just like he always used to," Robin told him.

"But Tuck doesn't tell stories like Gina."

"Don't let Tuck hear you say that, you might hurt his feelings," Robin laughed, but Roland only let out a heavy sigh, head lolling against his chest as he seemed to deflate.

"I don't want you to go," he tried, switching tactics as they grew closer to the moment Regina would ride out with Robin and the small hunting party. And it almost worked.

Regina swooped the mopey toddler off his feet and up onto her hip as she tickled him a bit. "I must, my little knight. People must be fed, and they need their queen to rally the troops. We wouldn't want anyone starving, would we?"

Roland shook his head.

"I thought not. I have to show these men what it's all about."

Robin and Little John scoffed, but Regina ignored them.

"I was hoping for a nice smile to last me the journey, but there isn't a single dimple in sight," she told him.

His mouth twisted as he fought a small smile.

"Well, then," she sighed, an overly dramatic show of false disappointment. "It will be a lot harder to hunt without the smile of my littlest knight to carry me through, but I suppose I'll have to make do without it."

He broke into a grin then, swooping in to lean against her chest as he hid it from her shyly. She squeaked a bit in surprise at the sudden shift in weight, but steadied her footing as she laughed lightly. "Do you think you can go faster now?" came the muffled question, and she chuckled.

"I think that might be possible, yes."

"Good." He leaned away again, just far enough that he could kiss her cheek and then hug her tightly. "Hurry back, I'll miss you."

"And what about your Papa?" Robin asked, feigning offense. "Am I forgotten so easily?"

Roland shook his head viciously, turning in Regina's hold to raise his arms out to his father. "I'll miss you, too, Papa," he said earnestly as Robin chuckled and he was passed from the queen's grasp to his father's. "You have to take care of Gina while you're hunting, okay?"

Robin laughed at Regina's expression, but bit his lip to hide it when Roland scowled at him for taking his request less than seriously.

"I promise, Roland."

After a tight hug, Robin set Roland back on the ground and turned to face the group. "Is everyone ready?"

"Snow White and her husband said they'd meet us at the edge of camp," Little John told him, and Regina was at least grateful that Snow hadn't played witness to Roland's goodbye. She bothered her enough about the Locksley pair — Regina didn't need her getting any more ammo.

"Alright, then, let's head out," he said, and Regina couldn't help but notice the wink he sent her as he passed by. She, more than Roland even, hoped it would be a swift trip.

 


	15. Chapter 15

They'd found themselves set apart from the rest of the group. Coming across a buck that had stopped to pick at some nearby foliage, Robin held out his bow to her. "I believe your majesty said she could fell prey without the use of her sword."

Never one to back away from a challenge, she took it from him with a scowl, taking an arrow as well and raising them determinedly.

Robin shook his head quickly, smirk disappearing as he focused only on the task at hand. "You want to line your feet up to your target and keep your arms up."

She glared at him in frustration, but didn't say anything as he stepped up next to her. "May I?" he asked carefully, and when she finally gave a quick nod he demonstrated the proper foot placement, waiting patiently for her to place her own feet before placing his hands lightly at her waist to guide her upper body.

Regina held very, very still as Robin stood against her, adjusting her grip around the bow.

She was acutely aware of his breath against the side of her face as he leveled his head with hers to aim.

"You don't get a second chance," he breathed. "If you miss, the sound of the arrow frightens them off."

With her stance set, arrow anchored beneath her chin and aimed, she tensed with the knowledge that it was time to release the arrow.

"Relax," Robin told her, sliding his hands from where they held hers to rest lightly underneath her arms as support. "You can't be tense and you have to breathe," he instructed. "Concentrate on your breathing. Keep it steady, and when you're ready, release the arrow on an exhale."

She did as instructed, finally releasing the arrow, and she was pleasantly surprised when she hit her mark straight, instantly killing the buck, and on her first try. She turned to Robin, smiling triumphantly at him before she could think better of it, and was instantly made aware of how close he still was to her. He'd taken a step back after she'd made the shot, but it was closer than they usually allowed each other.

"You have a beautiful smile," he said, and she shifted her weight self-consciously before she could steel herself once again and clear her throat. "And that was a perfect shot," he added, impressed. "Most people don't make that shot on their first try."

"Yes, well…I'm not most people," she told him smugly, but the attitude dimmed at the sight of his darkened pupils. She felt the ghost touch of his body pressed against hers only moments ago, her back pressing against his chest on each inhale as she'd waited to take her shot.

She felt the air thicken and her next breath in was a shallow one, caught off guard by the sudden change in their interaction. He'd only ever looked at her with dislike, caution and begrudging tolerance. He annoyed her, pestering her with his stupid jokes, his barbs and his refusal to leave her the hell alone. Now she noticed the definition of well-toned muscle visible from his pushed up sleeves, the way his hair was peppered with grey, and the perfectly stubbled chin to match. She could only see the thinnest ring of his striking blue irises, his blown pupils evidence that she wasn't alone in realizing their new sexual tension.

She felt her cheeks flush as she became aware of her pounding heart, hoping he couldn't hear it in the silence of the woods.

The scent of forest she'd come to associate with him wafted across her face, blending with their environment, but still managing to stand out. Cedar and fir, mixing with spicier, tangier notes that smelled very male and very _Robin_. She dipped her head toward him for a deeper inhale. He smelled so _good_. Then, somehow, their lips collided, and she was pressed against him once more. Their kisses were sloppy as he guided them back toward the nearest tree, stumbling over a root in the process. She moaned and arched her back when he pressed her against it, his knee between her legs, thigh pressed against her core. Rubbing against the bark of the tree was surely going to ruin her dress, but she couldn't bring herself to care so long as he kept doing whatever it was his mouth was doing to her neck.

As his hands wandered upward from her waist, she began to rock against him, not understanding how this was happening between _them_ , but unwilling to think clearly enough to put a stop to it. The sensations pinging through her were too delicious and it had been too long.

He cupped her breasts as best he could over the fabric of her dress and she cursed the thickness of her corset. It seemed he was having similar thoughts when he gave a dissatisfied growl.

She waved her hand, changing herself into a short, thin cotton shift, still dark in color and low in neckline, not bothering to do the same for Robin as she removed his clothes entirely in one go. Robin's hands were immediately back on her breasts, kneading and rolling her nipples expertly under his thumbs. She groaned at the attention and began riding his leg with more urgency, seeking the friction that she so desperately needed.

"Why the dress?" he wondered breathily as he moved away from her mouth and down her neck. He moved his hands down to cup her ass and give it a squeeze before hoisting her up a bit, trailing his tongue down to tease along the neckline of her new attire.

"You're not the one with your back pressed against a tree, thief," she reminded him. "I don't need a rash from rubbing against the bark." Frowning when he continued to kiss along her neckline, she pressed closer into him. "You should move more quickly if you want this to happen."

It was a lie, she knew. This would be happening regardless.

His smirk showed that he knew it too. Insufferable man.

She moaned when he sank down her body to his knees in front of her, trailing his hands down her sides until he could push at the edges of her skirt. He disappeared underneath it a moment later, and she gasped as she felt his mouth on her, working her up more quickly than she would have expected. Running her fingers through his hair, she gripped it when he moved a hand to finger at her clit.

It didn't take long after that before she was coming against his mouth, choking back the sounds that threatened to escape her. She didn't need someone coming to investigate.

Her legs were shaky as he raised himself back to his feet, that obnoxious, sexy smirk on his lips again as he watched her attempting to catch her breath. She didn't give herself much of a reprieve, anxious to wipe that expression from his face as she tugged him into her, wrapping her leg around him as she pulled herself up against him. He returned the favor by shoving fistfuls of her skirt into her hands and hoisting her higher up the tree, allowing her to wrap both legs around his waist.

Their sighs and groans mingled when she finally sank onto his length.

They both moaned at the feel and instantly renewed their rocking motions.

Regina bit her lip to stifle the moan that slipped out as he pulled out most of the way only to plunge right back in, meeting her thrust for thrust.

"Mmm…" she clawed at his shoulders as she leaned back, trying to find some way to anchor herself even as her legs squeezed around him. Pressed between the tree and his body was a heady feeling, but she didn't have the purchase she needed to angle her body underneath him. "More—" she shifted slightly again, but her words were cut off when he moved the slightest bit in the direction she'd desired, taking the hint. "Yes," she rasped. "There."

He groaned at her increased pace, readjusting his grasp on her thighs to help pull her to him.

After that, they didn't speak again, choked gasps and the soft slapping of skin the only sounds as they rode each other to completion. Regina draped an arm across her face to stifle the sound of her crying out when their movements grew jerky and ragged. She tensed in his arms as she finally came, grateful he was still pushing into her and helping her remain upright when her legs loosened around him. His orgasm came not long after, groaning into her shoulder as he slowed his thrusts. They remained there for a few seconds, breathing heavily against one another and allowing their racing hearts to settle. He lowered her back to where her feet rested flat against the earth and took a step back when she leaned against the tree.

"What are we doing?" he asked himself, lifting his arms to run his hands through his hair.

"You mean what have we _done_ ," she said emotionlessly. "No taking it back now."

In truth, she was as shocked as he was, just unwilling to show it. She could feel a panic building as she realized this was a man she was going to have to continue seeing on a daily basis, not to mention the father of her...well…Roland's father. That little boy was precious to her and she didn't want to endanger that relationship any more than it already had been. But, as she'd told Robin, too late now. No taking it back. She'd let her lust get the better of her and ignored every rational thought - and for what? A quick romp in the woods? It had been good - heaven's help her, it had been _fantastic_ \- but it had been foolish and came with consequences that had the potential to ruin every good thing she'd managed to find about this godforsaken realm.

"We will never speak of this," she ordered, sucking in a shaky breath. She waived her hand, enveloping them both in a cloud of purple. It quickly dissipated, leaving them in their original outfits, her hair and makeup once more flawless.

He nodded somewhat mechanically. "We should rejoin the others before they come looking for us."

Robin secured the buck silently, not making eye contact with Regina the entire time. They found their way back to the rest of the party, the two of them keeping a good distance between them as the group traveled back to camp.

* * *

"You really don't have to hover over me like this," Regina assured him. "I have an appointment with Dr. Whale later today and he can tell me if there's anything I need to be worrying about. He said I should be far enough along to do a proper ultrasound at this point."

"An…ultrasound?" Robin asked.

"It's a way to take a look at the baby." At his befuddled expression, she shook her head. It was easy to forget that Robin had not inherited the same knowledge of this world that had benefited the people brought over by the first curse. "We talked about pictures and video the other day," she started, and he nodded, remembering how she'd explained the images he'd seen on her television when he and Roland had been over for breakfast one Saturday. "This is sort of like that, only it allows them to see how the baby is growing. It's a complicated process to explain, and I'm not a doctor."

"It sounds dangerous," he said, frowning.

"Not at all," she assured him. "It's not invasive, and it won't harm me or the baby." Leaning back in her chair, she smiled. "Henry's coming over today. After my appointment, Emma's dropping him off while she goes out searching with the Charmings again. Speaking of which," she narrowed her eyes at him, "I heard _you've_ begun venturing out with the search parties?"

He gave a brief nod. "I have. I wanted to lend a hand. The town has been kind in finding a place for those of us brought over by this latest curse, I felt it only right to repay their kindness by lending a hand where I'm useful."

"You and your men live in the woods," she reminded him. "I'd hardly say anyone's been put out by your arrival in Storybrooke."

He laughed. "The woods are the only home my men have known for the last several decades. It would have felt out of place to be anywhere else. But they _have_ provided us with jobs - funds with which to feed and clothe ourselves, and for that, I am in their debt."

"You also have a son."

"As do you. And I'm more than willing to bet you'd be out there with the rest of us if circumstances were different," he told her, gesturing to her midsection.

She hummed shortly. "Fine. Just make sure you're being careful. We wouldn't want you incurring the wrath of the Wicked Witch and having her take it out on the poor denizens."

"You can't fool me, Your Majesty. I know your concern is truly for my _own_ well-being," he smirked.

She only smiled in response. "I've been stuck behind this desk all day," she told him, changing the subject. "I'm going to stretch my legs a bit and go for a small walk. Would you like to join me?"

"If you wouldn't mind the company?"

"I wouldn't have asked if I did."

"In that case, I would be honored."

He pulled her coat from the rack and held it out for her as she stood and moved to join him. Stepping into it, she turned to find him holding out his arm. "Shall we?"


End file.
